We've all seen them. Marketing departments fund huge amounts of money into making these amazingly funny and clever advertisements, and though they work, after the first time you've seen them, they're just annoying, and get in the way.
So let's try word of mouth, instead. Certainly, it reaches a smaller audience, but a recommendation from a friend is a lot more effective than, say, the "Mad World" trailer for Gears of War, or World of Warcraft: Cataclysm's epic shots of an apocalypse, or the humorous "but they can DANCE!" ads for Rayman - Raving Rabbids, or
A request, if you would. Let word of mouth do its job. It's been working for ZUN, who hasn't spent a cent on marketing, and instead just makes games that are of great quality. Soldexus, MUGEN, and Knytt have enjoyed similar success, though they haven't brought in any money, what with being free. The man behind Knytt has actually used the reputation the game had earned him to make money with a different game, Saira. It does actually work.
An interesting proposal, Norman, but would word of mouth be as effective for the people at Proctor and Gamble as it has been for those at ZUN? Are everyday people going to blog about the effectiveness of the laundry detergent they bought last week? Are they going to have conversations over the back hedge with the neighbor about said soap suds? C'mon, that's the sort of conversation that only takes place ... in TV commercials.
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