It's fair to say American Presidential candidate Barack Obama has struck a chord with 'the kids' and has totally mobilised the youth vote (or perhaps they just don't want to vote for the old guy?). In a bid to reach out to the youth even further and encourage them to actually get of their backsides and Vote and not Die, no wait that was last year, Choose rather than Lose (lose what?), Obama related advertising is going to be cleverly inserted into nine of EA's best selling EA games. I do believe that's a first - no other Presidential candidate has ever purchased ad space inside video games. This includes Madden '09 and Burnout: Paradise.
Avid gamers who aren't turned on by the idea have nothing to worry about, you won't be bombarded with overtly conspicuous Obama advertising that has nothing to do with the actual game itself. Instead, the advertising will appear where you'd expect adverts to appear in games - for example, on billboards around the pitch.
It'll be interesting to see how the McCain clan responds to this. Whatever they do, it won't be as exciting or as on the ball as this. There have been rumours of a John McCain themed expansion to the Sims, but it just sounds too in-your-face and not as cool as the Obama EA collaboration.
Whether the gamers will be able to tear themselves away from their Xboxes and actually vote is another question. What ever the outcome, I now have a new found respect for him.
[via Tech Digest]
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It's going to be scary if this guy gets elected.
Totalitarian state, here we come!
I just think for once a presidential candidate is being smart about using mobile marketing and advertising.
I don't know what he'll be like as a president, but his marketing team are certainly doing a good job.