2. EA Games - Barack Obama Political Ads Everywhere
Of all the things EA has been called, 'Barack Obama's campaign board' is probably one you didn't expect. As it turns out, the company actually partnered up with Obama for a truly odd advertising tactic. During the 2008 presidential campaign, a number of 'vote for Obama' ads were unsubtly inserted into 18 EA game titles, such as NBA Live 08, Burnout Paradise, Nascar 09, Need For Speed: Carbon, Need For Speed: Pro Street, NFL on Tour, NHL 09, Skate, and even Guitar Hero. Billboards, banners, and posters featuring Obama's face and unsubtle slogans such as 'early voting has begun' were sprinkled in each game so any gamer couldn't drive down a virtual racetrack or play a plastic instrument without being subliminally asked to vote. Just like how Pizza Hut thought they can pander to hungry gamers through in-game pizza orders, Obama clearly thought that he could tap into the young gamer demographic through some in-game advertising. In fact, Obama thought the partnership went so well that he teamed up with EA again for the 2012 presidential campaign. It's unclear how effective this tactic actually was, but Obama did end up winning the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. Maybe there is something to be gained by mixing politics and video games.
My life story is nothing special. I haven't cured ebola, I'm nowhere near stopping terrorism, and I'm still working on that climate change problem.
Instead, all I've done so far is put a few hundred words together in an attempt to make people laugh.
You can follow me at @Fry_ying_pan but don't be offended if I don't tweet back. It's usually because I've spent too long trying to think up a witty response that the reply window has closed.
