Wow! Marketing have really raised their game!
By
Aett_Thorn,
Posted on: 2012-05-15 11:00 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
Hmmm.... they tell you what it does (you turn into a panther and you turn invisible, gaining stealth). They warn you that it's not a combat power, so nobody can complain about being ripped off when it isn't useful in combat. And they keep it short, so people can't complain about this minor non-combat power being an overhyped money-grab.
I guess your complaint is that they didn't sell it hard enough? Man. Can't win for losing.
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176837 - Homunculi 2: Tectonic Boogaloo -- UPDATED
In all fairness, the ad says that the Panther Stealth Power turns you invisible. Normally a stealth power has a description "Only up close will enemies see you", this doesn't have that description.
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what's to pitch?|
Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker
How's that for an amazing sales pitch?!
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you either like the idea of turning into a sneaky panther or you don't- the basic effect is pretty clear cut.
specifying what the power isn't is simple due diligence on the ALL SALES FINAL Marketplace.
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My City Was Gone
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Wanna bet on that?|
Originally Posted by CapnBarcode
They warn you that it's not a combat power, so nobody can complain about being ripped off when it isn't useful in combat. And they keep it short, so people can't complain about this minor non-combat power being an overhyped money-grab.
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Originally Posted by T_Immortalus
I can't seem to figure out the in game link to see the detailed info for this power(or they named it something completely unintuitive), and I won't ever buy anything more than a few dollars without being well informed.
So how much stealth does it have? (player responses deleted) So it is practically useless for stealthing missions, which tend to have cramped quarters that force you in very close proximity to enemies unless you can teleport past them or fly above them if the ceiling is high enough. Well, there goes my interest in the power out the window. |
reading the OP I assumed that it was a serious compliment. I thought the detail from marketing was excellent. The mentioning of its limitations was very good.
Then at some point I realized that the OP was being sarcastic. I'm not sure where I realized that or why they don't like the marketing.
it is almost enough to make me swear off making bizarre sarcastic rants and posts myself, now that I see how foolish it makes you look.
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I would suggest that perhaps it would be wise to not seek employment as a copywriter.|
Originally Posted by Nethergoat
what's to pitch?
you either like the idea of turning into a sneaky panther or you don't- the basic effect is pretty clear cut. specifying what the power isn't is simple due diligence on the ALL SALES FINAL Marketplace. |
Imagine the meetings with clients at the ad agency...
"So what's to sell? This is just some glorified sugar water."
"Dude, you just blew the Pepsi account!"
"So?"
Most products are marketed based on the premise of roping in suckers. Paragon deserves recognition for being a bit more respectful than that.
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Were you being sarcastic? i can't tell.
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Originally Posted by dugfromthearth
reading the OP I assumed that it was a serious compliment. I thought the detail from marketing was excellent. The mentioning of its limitations was very good.
Then at some point I realized that the OP was being sarcastic. I'm not sure where I realized that or why they don't like the marketing. it is almost enough to make me swear off making bizarre sarcastic rants and posts myself, now that I see how foolish it makes you look. |
Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...
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No, sir, I do not. I failed to account for the 'slap-in-the-face' factor.
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Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Wanna bet on that?
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One forum name, two members: Molly Hackett & Heliphyneau.
AE arcs:
27327 - Enter the Homunculi
176837 - Homunculi 2: Tectonic Boogaloo -- UPDATED
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Nobody wins when you publicly criticize people you don't know.
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Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker
Hey check this out... the superlative description for the new Panther stealth power really takes Paragon's marketing to the next level.
You can read it here but look at what they've done in the description: How's that for an amazing sales pitch?! Two neat paragraphs only three short sentences. No extraneous guff or irrelevant details just a simple "this is what it is, this is when you can use it and then an entire paragraph dedicated to telling you what it won't do. Perfect: No unrealistic raising of user expectation, no unwitting exhortation to rush out and buy the product (because now we know what it won't do, we're going to buy it on impulse, right?) There's no unnecessary hype - or even a waste of space outlining the features and benefits of said travel power cuz... it's a panther stealth power and it turns everything off when you use it... that's all you need to know. EVER! Brilliant stuff Paragon Marketing. You have finally excelled yourselves! Black Pebble, I salute you! Superlative work that leaves us other professional marketeers dead in your wake. |
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There goes the internet, then. (Note that I more or less agree with danomal, but I recognize that the culture of criticism, on these fora and in general, has come to accept personal attacks as a right and hyperbole and sarcasm as necessities.)
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Originally Posted by danomal
Nobody wins when you publicly criticize people you don't know.
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"Bombarding the CoH/V fora with verbosity since January, 2006"
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-and 40 others on various servers
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neither can I |
Originally Posted by Schismatrix
Were you being sarcastic? i can't tell.
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You don't know much about marketing do you? It's getting people interested in the product and wanting to know more. As for "due dilligence" you don't need to do that in the opening gambit (and for the record the all sales are final disclaimer is pretty limited at best.)|
Originally Posted by Nethergoat
what's to pitch?
you either like the idea of turning into a sneaky panther or you don't- the basic effect is pretty clear cut. specifying what the power isn't is simple due diligence on the ALL SALES FINAL Marketplace. |
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Originally Posted by PleaseRecycle
Most products are marketed based on the premise of roping in suckers. Paragon deserves recognition for being a bit more respectful than that.
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Originally Posted by danomal
Nobody wins when you publicly criticize people you don't know.
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But ok... let's compare and contrast some examples with the above and see how they stack up.
How about this example?
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Liger Pet Location: Powers > Permanent Powers > Pet Use this power to summon a liger - it's only our favorite animal. This rare predator has a mane of a lion and is striped like a tiger with our own unique twist: a scorpion tail! |
Let's try another - a totally "like for like" example by comparing another travel power desciption:
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Flying Carpet Travel Power Location: Powers > Permanent Powers > Travel Activate this Persian-type carpet with its own golden magic lantern and soar across the skies like Aladdin! All characters in your account can access this fantastic power. It's usable at Level 4. For all characters in your account. |
See the difference? It makes you imagine being there "soaring across the skies like Alladin" - and there's no mention in that description that it'll detoggle your powers.
Yes, there is a need to let the customer know what will happen before they buy, but it's completely inappropriate in your marketing introduction. Marketing is about generating interest.
Coincidentally here's some of the best marketing I've seen recently - albeit to an audience that's already solidly sold but this is pretty ace - except it's come from the Community team, not marketing. This wins because it's just a very brief sentence which encourages you to click the link and then suddenly you're presented with a huge "Wow-Factor" - you only have to read the posts following to know how well that went down.
Paragon can do marketing sometimes, but sadly the marketing team frequently turn out sub-par stuff. Considering how great this game really is, that's a real shame.
Thelonious Monk
I took a marketing class for my minor in college. For some reason, my slogan "Buy this or else you're an idiot" just didn't catch on.
We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.
(If you love this game as much as I do, please read that post.)
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When your audience is already engaged you don't need to push the sizzle, you need to tell them what the steak tastes like. |
Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker
You don't know much about marketing do you? It's getting people interested in the product and wanting to know more.
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In this case a paragraph of hyperbole would accomplish what?
Players are either going to like the power or not, you're not convincing anyone of anything with a few lines of marketing speak.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
"Activate this Persian-type carpet" = "Transform into a black panther"
"with its own golden magic lantern" != presumably there is no such thing for the panther power
"soar across the skies like Aladdin" = "turn invisible to stalk your prey from the shadows"
"It's usable at Level 4." = "usable at Level 4"
"For all characters in your account" = "this power will be unlocked on all characters on your account"
no disclaimer != "When the Panther Stealth Power is active, all powers become disabled and untoggled (although use of one Vanity Pet is allowed)."
So the marketing statements are almost a direct match. Apparently you think soaring across the sky like Aladdin is cooler than turning invisible to stalk your prey from the shadows, but that's not marketing's fault.
And you object to them telling people it detoggles? You want them to have winter hordes of angry customers who buy it and then find out it detoggles and want their money back?
Marketing departments are what brought us the "sugar is sugar" commercials paid for by the Corn industry. Yes, it is, but sugar is also what is making this nation incredibly fat, and that includes your high fructose corn syrup. I am actually happy that the marketing team here finally learned that people want to make informed decisions when it comes to their money. I wish more companies would actually admit the truth of their product, and let customers make informed decisions.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
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Uhm Just gonna go off on a tangent and disagree with you on this Aett. Sugar isn't making anyone do anything. The country is fat because we as a society are choosing to eat poorly, not exercise, and make excuses to justify our bad habits.|
Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
Yes, it is, but sugar is also what is making this nation incredibly fat, and that includes your high fructose corn syrup.
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High-sugar diets are one of the leading causes of obesity in our country. Yes, people are responsible for what they eat, but there's been a large marketing push from the corn and other sugar industries to try to make themselves seem like the healthier alternative for a long time now. If people are told over and over again that sugar is healthier than red meat, they're going to believe it eventually, even if it's not true. Yes, it is a tangent, but this is the problem with marketing trying to show us all of the good with none of the bad, and never being called on it - people begin to believe the marketing.
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Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Uhm Just gonna go off on a tangent and disagree with you on this Aett. Sugar isn't making anyone do anything. The country is fat because we as a society are choosing to eat poorly, not exercise, and make excuses to justify our bad habits.
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Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
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With all due respect Aett, I don't buy that at all. To me that sounds like the people your referring to are making excuses to justify not accepting personal responsibility for their actions and how they raise their kids. I believe the information on how to live healthy is readily available, people choose to ignore it.|
Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
High-sugar diets are one of the leading causes of obesity in our country. Yes, people are responsible for what they eat, but there's been a large marketing push from the corn and other sugar industries to try to make themselves seem like the healthier alternative for a long time now. If people are told over and over again that sugar is healthier than red meat, they're going to believe it eventually, even if it's not true. Yes, it is a tangent, but this is the problem with marketing trying to show us all of the good with none of the bad, and never being called on it - people begin to believe the marketing.
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But let's agree to disagree before we derail this thread any further.
Sides I don't want you mad at me.
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My diet has always been high in sugar. Many of my friends comment that I drink a little tea in my sugar. My grandmother drank her tea sweeter than mine and ate more sugar than I did, mostly from eating her own deserts.|
Originally Posted by Aett_Thorn
High-sugar diets are one of the leading causes of obesity in our country. Yes, people are responsible for what they eat, but there's been a large marketing push from the corn and other sugar industries to try to make themselves seem like the healthier alternative for a long time now. If people are told over and over again that sugar is healthier than red meat, they're going to believe it eventually, even if it's not true. Yes, it is a tangent, but this is the problem with marketing trying to show us all of the good with none of the bad, and never being called on it - people begin to believe the marketing.
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I'm not in the least bit obese and I avoid exercise as much as possible. She was very active but never was one for exercise. She was never obese either.
People can always find someone else to blame instead of taking personal responsibility for their own actions.
If the game spit out 20 dollar bills people would complain that they weren't sequentially numbered. If they were sequentially numbered people would complain that they weren't random enough.
Black Pebble is my new hero.
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Genetics has a part to play in it as well. Some people just have lucky metabolisms that make it really hard to be obese. Some people have unlucky metabolisms that make them predisposed to obesity.|
Originally Posted by Texas Justice
I'm not in the least bit obese and I avoid exercise as much as possible. She was very active but never was one for exercise. She was never obese either.
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Not saying you have no control over it. If you tried to be obese, I'm sure you could manage to do it. Likewise, just because one is predisposed to obesity doesn't mean that they have to be obese. With a good diet and exercise, anyone has the capacity to be a healthy weight.
I do think, however, that our particular culture that rewards people for sedentary lifestyles, that is driven by non-stop passive entertainment (television and the Internet), and in which eating healthy is considerably more difficult and usually more expensive than shoveling a steady stream of junk food down, it's hard not to be obese no matter what your metabolism is. Sure, we can fight it, but do we as a society really want to?
We've been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It's time to do it one more time.
(If you love this game as much as I do, please read that post.)
I suspect that the genetic makeup of Americans changed dramatically around 1974 when the obesity epidemic began. Also people suddenly started losing their willpower.
People will always choose to explain massive trends as if they were simply the result of 100 million people happening to change their behavior for unrelated reasons at the same time.
Hey check this out... the superlative description for the new Panther stealth power really takes Paragon's marketing to the next level.
You can read it here but look at what they've done in the description:
When the Panther Stealth Power is active, all powers become disabled and untoggled (although use of one Vanity Pet is allowed).
Perfect: No unrealistic raising of user expectation, no unwitting exhortation to rush out and buy the product (because now we know what it won't do, we're going to buy it on impulse, right?) There's no unnecessary hype - or even a waste of space outlining the features and benefits of said travel power cuz... it's a panther stealth power and it turns everything off when you use it... that's all you need to know. EVER!
Brilliant stuff Paragon Marketing. You have finally excelled yourselves! Black Pebble, I salute you! Superlative work that leaves us other professional marketeers dead in your wake.
Thelonious Monk