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Thom Dinsdale's picture
Thom Dinsdale
Thom Dinsdale

UK based freelance writer and student of advertising and marketing communications.

Game Marketing Blog
http://thomgame.blogspot.com

Online Portfolio
http://thombiota.blogspot.com


Please feel free to get in touch with me!

Thom Dinsdale's Comments

  • Edge fronts.jpg

    Print is dead, long live print!

    Congratulations Edge, see you at 300! :)

  • Thom Dinsdale's picture

    Thanks for your comment. :)

    I could have gone on forever exploring the issues you've just flagged up. There is so much that could be said about what those colours mean and the role they play in the minds of consumers. Also, I really don't think its possible to understate the significance of the desicion, the fact that the company so explicitly pointed out the change shows how important it is to them.

    I think the biggest challenge Nintendo faces as a brand is how to reconsile its iconic meaning with its new broader, community-orientated attitude. You're right to say it is about more than pure fun. It shows that games are capable of gratifying individuals on levels beyond enjoyment and onto plains of self-realisation, community building and intillectual engagement. I guess my point is, does something as specific as the scarlet racetrack logo represent that well-enough (bearing in mind the cultural significance of it) or do they need to use something slightly more sobre to represent their varied product portfolio?

  • Thom Dinsdale's picture

    That point was the elephant in the living room throughout the article. There is no point Nintendo caving in to pressure when doing so makes no economic sense on paper whatsoever.

  • Thom Dinsdale's picture

    One of the beauties of this kind of advertising is how it is so live. I wrote my original article last Thursday, at which point all I had was my intuition and prior experience with which to make a judgement. Sadly, I'm not omnipresent and cannot predict how these campaigns will evolve.

    The nature of this kind of marketing is such that it doesn't get heavily promoted and usually only finds real coverage after the event itself. In this case "checking my sources" is easier said than done.

    Of course, it is not my place to decide what excites and engages consumers, only to observe and comment. As such, I stand to be proven wrong and the fact that the debate is not one-sided can only be a good thing.

    In all honesty, I think EA is one of the few firms within the industry really trying to push the boat out in terms of its promotions. And I'm certainly not looking to "flame" the efforts of the company or any of its representatives. I genuinely find what they are doing inspiring and exciting. However, when I put pen to paper, I only have what is in front of me and if information is subject to change then my work must be viewed in light of that.

    I must say though, I do not think any of that invalidates my opinion. The general lessons and concepts I am trying to illustrate through this case study remain intact and relevant.

  • l4d_ads.jpg

    I think this is about taking Left4Dead, pushing it out of the gaming community and into the mainstream. These ads will get people recognising the symbolism and brand and asking the question "What on earth is Left4Dead?!"

    Let's hope someone doesn't see fit to complain about that missing finger, spoiling everybody's fun.

Thom Dinsdale's Recent Blog Entries

  •  Anybody with an eye on the games industry will have noticed the ongoing heated debatesurrounding an ad from a number of state backed UK charities that implies videogames lead to a sedentary lifestyle that can (and it would seem, will) in turn lead to an early grave.

    March 9, 2009
  •  Anybody with an eye on the games industry will have noticed the ongoing heated debate surrounding an ad from a number of state backed UK charities that implies videogames lead to a sedentary lifestyle that can (and it would seem, will) in turn lead to an early grave.

    March 9, 2009
  • What communications challenges face Sony in ensuring that 'LittleBigPlanet' is the success it could be?

    Despite something of a rocky start, 'LittleBigPlanet' seems to be finding its little cloth feet in the marketplace. With big promotional campaigns pushing the game in the run up to the holiday season, Sony and Media Molecule will be hoping that the title lives up to the big promises it has made to both of them.

    December 9, 2008

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