Slashdot Mirror
ESPN Football's Bizarre Viral Marketing?
LilSerf writes "Four days before Sega debuted their new 'first-person football' feature for ESPN Football 2K4, a mysterious personality called Beta-7 premiered a site detailing the injuries he suffered as a beta-tester for the game. The site is a blog going back to March 21, 2003, the day he first claims to have tested the game and blacked out as a result. The story includes mysterious packages from other injured testers, surveillance footage of his 'episodes', and bootleg video of the 'secret' game features - suspiciously not posted until after the official announcement by Sega. Consensus in the boards on his site seems to be that this is a hoax by Sega - what do Slashdot readers think?"
I think these people got hit in the head a few too many times with the ol' pigskin.
The video, in particular, screams marketing schmo with theatrical aspirations. This kinf of viral marketing (hate the term, sounds vomit inducing) isn't a bad thing at all, though. It forces the marketers to be interesting enough to keep your attention, rather than try to give you their spiel when you can't walk away.
From the domain registrars whois db:
"The data contained in Go Daddy Software, Inc.'s WHOIS database,while believed by the company to be reliable, is provided "as is"with no guarantee or warranties regarding its accuracy. Thisinformation is provided for the sole purpose of assisting youin obtaining information about domain name registration records.Any use of this data for any other purpose is expressly forbidden without the prior writtenpermission of Go Daddy Software, Inc. By submitting an inquiry,you agree to these terms of usage and limitations of warranty. In particular,you agree not to use this data to allow, enable, or otherwise make possible,dissemination or collection of this data, in part or in its entirety, for anypurpose, such as the transmission of unsolicited advertising andand solicitations of any kind, including spam. You further agreenot to use this data to enable high volume, automated or robotic electronicprocesses designed to collect or compile this data for any purpose,including mining this data for your own personal or commercial purposes. Please note: the owner of the domain name is specifiedin the "registrant" field. In most cases, Go Daddy Software, Inc. is not the owner of domain names listed in this database.Registrant: Domains by Proxy, Inc. 15111 N Hayden Rd., Suite 160 PMB353 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 United States Registered through: Go Daddy Software (http://www.godaddy.com) Domain Name: BETA-7.COM Created on: 18-Jun-03 Expires on: 18-Jun-04 Last Updated on: 19-Jun-03 Administrative Contact: Private, Registration BETA-7.COM@domainsbyproxy.com Domains by Proxy, Inc. 15111 N Hayden Rd., Suite 160 PMB353 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 United States (480) 624-2599 Technical Contact: Private, Registration BETA-7.COM@domainsbyproxy.com Domains by Proxy, Inc. 15111 N Hayden Rd., Suite 160 PMB353 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 United States (480) 624-2599 Domain servers in listed order: NS.RACKSPACE.COM NS2.RACKSPACE.COM"
It's only been registered for about 3 weeks.
Fast, cheap & reliable. Pick two.
A couple years ago, they did a bogus cam girl site. Can't remember much about it. But basically the lady was a stereotypical sports-hating airhead who somehow managed to flame ESPN in ever sentence.
That's gotta be the stupedist, funniest thing I've seen in at least a day or two.
I think this sort of thing is pretty cool. Another interesting way to advertise and I am seriously thinking about getting an XBOX from just viewing that video. Sega, come back to gamecube!!!
This reader thinks that LilSerf has a Sega check in the mail for keeping their game on the front page of Slashdot Games ;)
Thanks, typhoid Lilserf. :-P
"People will pay big bucks for the luxury of ignorance."
I'm not going to follow links because this Slashdot thread itself appears astroturfed, or whatever the latest buzz-word is to denote Internet content seeded by paid advertisers.
I bet Acclaim is going to sue. They have the patent on marketing gone horribly wrong.
Kids these days. They don't know the difference between classic, and just plain old.
and by the way, SCO's doing that lawsuit thing for the money.
Its a friggin fake... "Uhhh it messed up my brain, and I am going to figure out how sega did this and make them take responsibility. I am going to do this by playing this game more and more - hey look at what these super cool commands do! Hey at least it cured my crack habit."
What a moron. If it is a true thing then I say poor moron.
I was also a beta tester of this game. Personally, I think it's all a hoax. There no way a game could have a permanent physical effect on someTHIRTY-FOUR! FIFTY-TWO! DOWN! SET! HUT!bfhgda;lbkaj;
Consensus in the boards on his site seems to be that this is a hoax by Sega - what do Slashdot readers think?"
I think it has "football" in the title and so I'm simply not interested.
normally, I am the adbusters loving anti-advertisement kinda guy... but I think they did a great job. at least you can tell it's a big joke... I probably would be miffed if I had bought into some elaborate site and later found out it was a marketing scheme...
but, this is probably the funniest advertisement ever... I laughed so hard at this site =P
I like the authentic touches here and there (kinda surprised about the modchip)... even though the first entry on beta-7 shouldn't be about pre-beta-7 times =P I'm sure you could make a list of the mistakes
oh well, I'll probably be hating this site later after I've reached my senses. once this kind of marketing is widespread, I will loathe it, I know it.
That if I become a slashdot subscriber and choose to turn the ads off, all the stories here will be turned off as well?
Seems that way these days
In one of his comments on the last news articles, he put his email down as beta-7@sega.com.
'nuff said.
the spoof Seaman website http://www.yoot.com/.
For y'all that don't know, Seaman was a bizarre virtual creature game for the Sega Dreamcast where you had to talk to a man/fish creature and help him grow up. He'd understand what you said to him and respond intelligently eg:
Seaman: Do you have a job ?
You: Yes.
Seaman: What do you do ?
You: I'm a programmer.
Seaman: That sounds like you're quite boring.
I'm still not sure what the 'aim' of the game was.
"Free software as in beer, copy protection as in racket" - Telsa Gwynne
What if it's not a hoax? What if it's not a joke? Sure, the sites only been up a month according to DNS registration. Sure the video is suspect.
If the guys blackouts are real then he should get his ass to a neurologist right fucking now! Get some CAT/MRI scans done and find out why! From reading the descriptions of the symptoms it could be epilepsy or it could be a brain tumor or some other brain disfunction that has nothing to do with playing the video game.
Also, I believe that SONY lists the possibility of having seizures if you are epileptic while playing some games. Nintendo has had disclaimers for years on all cartridges and game systems. It's a known fact that some combinations of flashing lights can induce a seizure in persons with epilepsy.
suspiciously not posted until after the official announcement by Sega
Hmm. Don't most companies require their beta testers to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)? Ever think that maybe the site didn't come up until after the announcement because of one?
Before clicking the video link, I was thinking I would end up seeing some guy flopping on the ground due to the flicker rate of the video game (anyone know the technical name?) like when the Simpsons went to Japan, saw some bizarre video on TV & went into a goup kiniption fit. Instead, we see what has to be an obvious fake. That, or the guy got ahold of some bad pot prior to tackling his TV tray.
Alas, I can't see the rest of the site now as its throwing up DNS errors from my end.
Cruising the internet on my TI-99/4A @ a whopping 300 baud!
The Sega Marketoids exceeded their bandwidth allotment (after being /.'ed no doubt) or the "beta tester" ran out of money or ran into a mail room guy .... conspiracy theories abound!
...er how is my post a troll when I am a /. reader and the question is "what do I think about a potential football game hoax?"
/.???)
Moderators wouldn't be into football now would they? (on
Shame on you.
http://www.beta-7.com/blog/archives/000003.html which has a comment written by a "Jim" who's name links to GMD Studios, a "groundbreaking new media production firm based in Orlando, Florida".
More werid crap can be found by replacing the "000003" in the URL with any other padded number in that general vicinity.
I'll admit I like the approach. It's kind of a bit entertaining to see a marketing company which blatantly badmouths it's client in it's marketing material (even if it is part of the plan) =)
Please consider making an automatic monthly recurring donation to the EFF
That was a cool game.
Seaman: "You're in computers? Do you work late hours?"
Me: "No, I guess not. Not right now at least."
Seaman: "Hmm... You must be very good at what you do!... or not very thorough..."
Me: "Both!"
Seaman: "Do you love yourself?"
Me: "uh.... I don't know"
Seaman: "Do you love yourself?"
Me: "Sure. Yes."
Seaman: "I bet you love yourself at least twice a day"
if this started a parental outcry of South Park porportions and caused the downfall of Sega, ESPN and console gaming in general? Hmmm... then we'd be left with PCs, MSNBC and Ultimate Frisbee... conspiracy?
Deltron 3030 - Virus (music video)
the site is bullshit. Sega betas are mailed to your house, where you play them and complete an online survey to gauge how things went and what you think needs to be addressed.
But it's still a pretty cool way to market your game. I give em props
Sega is on it's way out. They know it, I know it . One or two of their franchises still do well for them, like Virtua Fighter, but in the grand scope any profits they've reaped on those titles are imediately spent on gigantic failures like the costly Shenmue series, some new Sonic game that won't sell 100,000 copies, or even their sports titles with the extremely costly licences.
I remember watching the X-Play special on E3 where they tried to hype some of the most pathetic games i've ever laid eyes on. The VP of something or other blathering on about how Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is some revolutionary game simply because you have a projectile weapon. A quick stop to pick the demo disc up the other week confirmed my suspicions about the dubious quality of Sega's latest offerings. Don't get me wrong, the demo disc is worth it for Viewtiful Joe alone, even if it comes with a mountain full of suck.
You can hire all the advertising agencies you want to create fake user interest, but in the end the people you want to purchase your products are no longer interested in what you have to offer. A new look, ESPN in this case, will not change that simple fact. Maybe whomever the CEO is this week will realize that.
Hello all, I'd like to offer some reasoning/reasons why all of these claims are completely illegitimate.
(What an amusing website though)
1. Regarding blackouts.
Dictionary definition: "A temporary loss of memory or consciousness."
Medical Definition: A "blackout," temporary loss of memory, is not to be confused with "passing out," or loss of consciousness. The drinker suffering from a blackout cannot remember things they said, things they did, places they visited while carousing the night before - or for longer periods. Even a social drinker can have a blackout. With prospective alcoholics, the blackouts are more frequent and develop into a pattern.
CONCLUSION: SUBJECT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE SUFFERING FROM BLACKOUTS UNLESS SEGA CORP WAS EXPOSING HIM/HER TO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL,MEDICATION, OR INJECTIONS. NONE OF THIS IS CLAIMED ON THIS WEBSITE. FURTHERMORE, SUBJECT (AND MEDICAL SCIENCE) HAS NOT, AND CANNOT, PROVE THAT ANY TYPE OF VISUAL OR AURAL STIMULATION, NO MATTER HOW SEVERE OR INTENSE CAN CAUSE A BLACKOUT UNLESS A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION OCCURS. IN ADDITION, IN THE 'APRIL 27' VIDEO, SUBJECT CLEARLY BRACES HIS FALL TO LESSEN THE IMPACT OF THE SO-CALLED BLACKOUT. FINALLY, SUBJECT REMEMBERS EVENTS PRIOR TO, AND FOLLOWING, THE SO-CALLED BLACKOUTS WHICH SHOW CAUSE FOR ILLEGITIMACY.
2. Promotional Stunt Silliness.
Those of you familiar with football will no doubt remember the 'Terry Tate, Official Linebacker' promotional ads during last year's Super Bowl. If not, please reference this website: http://terrytate.reebok.com/
It depicts a character that spontaneously tackles innocent bystanders in a non-football setting. Videos are available on this website.
They are EXTREMELY similar to the 'Beta X' Video, both in editing, casting, and sequence.
CONCLUSION: SUBJECT HAS CLEARLY COPYRIGHTED IDEAS FROM THE REEBOK MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND USED THEM SHAMELESSLY ON HIS WEBSITE.
** FINAL CONCLUSION **
The magnitude of the stupidity involved here is overshadowed only by the sick, perverse sense of humor that now permeates modern American society.
Mix 2 parts "MTV's Jackass" + 1 "Reebok Terry Tate" commercial, add in a maladjusted pathetic football simulation player (who may have been a beta tester), a cheap 35mm camera and some freeware editing software...and you have...voila...
"Beta-7.com"
----
The following debunking has been brought to you by Agent Scully X. Have a nice day.
Did that surveillance video of the mail boy getting tackled remind anybody of Terry Tate: Office Linebacker? It's almost a straight out copy of Terry Tate's impressive technique.