Game Marketing Tips, Analysis, and News


Monday, January 16, 2012

How Not To Market Gaming Accessories

Actual poster at a CES Booth

Sometimes you just have to wonder why nobody stood up at the marketing meeting and said "No." Or maybe "Have you lost your wits?" Apparently no one did for this company that makes gaming mice and gaming keyboards. Somehow they though that this slogan would appeal to those crazy Americans.

Really, guys (I presume guys; women usually don't seem to stoop to this marketing level of juvenilia), what the hell were you thinking? Looking at this (which is also the backdrop image for the booth, by the way) I have no idea what they're marketing or why I should care. Features? Benefits? Nope, not there. Odd image of a cat outline with an American flag design over it? Sure, that's there. Whatever that means. And did I miss something or did the Germans actually invade America in World War II? I thought they never got here... I must not know as much history as I thought. Of course, countries that did have legions of German "tourists" during World War II don't exactly have fond memories of the time period.

Save the lame jokes for when you're at the hofbrau knocking back some lager. When you're marketing, try to at least point to the product or service, and maybe even hint at a benefit or two.