A Classic Positioning

Another fine example example of "if you can't fix it, feature it": Electronic Arts had a conference call with analysts and had this to say about their sales picture, which has not looked good for years: EA is the #1 packaged goods publisher in the US and Europe.

OK, I get they're trying to put a happy face on yet another quarter of disappointing numbers, and the fact that they're reducing their forecasts for the coming year... but, come on! This just looks pretty lame. OK, I get that they feel a little bit miffed that Activision has passed them up as the number 1 publisher in terms of total revenue, so they invented a new metric that they could be #1 in: Packaged goods in the US and Europe. Ah, yes, the increasingly less relevant packaged goods market.

Maybe if they spent less time trying to invent good spin on their predicament, and more time actually improving their business model, I'd have more sympathy. But at least if you're gonna spin, try to do a good job of it. This was not a good spin job; it just highlights their weaknesses.