Blockbuster to Gamers: "You are all a bunch of fucking rejects!"
At least that is what this advertisement says to me.
I was flipping through the latest issue of OPM when I saw this thing. Blockbuster apparently purchased a full page advertisement in order to tell me that they think I'm a fool. Thank you Blockbuster, now I really want to purchase your products. Seriously, is this what they think we are like? Is this what corporate fuckwits picture when they think about gamers?
Obviously this ad is intended to get gamers interested in renting games from Blockbuster. So they decided the best way to do that would be to lure us in with an unflattering caricature of our subculture. I can just imagine a table full of advertising execs trying desperately to pin down the defining characteristics of that most sought after of all demographics, the 18-24 year old male. "They wear funny clothes like a clown or a hippy," says one exec before he takes a long pull from his coffee coolata. "Their hair is really messy," says another as he tries desperately not to think about his erectile dysfunction and the devastating effect it has had on his marriage. "I saw one today at the mall and he seemed very extreme." They all nod and murmur in agreement. "So what we need then is a messy-haired clown who seems vaguely extreme." Then they all pat each other on the back and joke about who is buying lunch. Jackasses.
Even if you were to look past the insulting picture you're treated to even more indignities. Every bit of copy was carefully written to appeal to young gamers by people who are not young, much less gamers. My favorite bit of advice from the ad is:
"Keep your elbows bent. Better for gripping the controller. Holding all those games from BLOCKBUSTER. And for keeping your opponent away from your snacks. (Get your own #@&% cheeseballs, cheeseball!)"
Boy if I had a nickel for every time I called one of my buddies a cheeseball… I guess I wouldn't have a single fucking nickel. Then at the bottom they suggest I sign up for their free spam, erm… I mean E-newsletter. If I can expect the same level of disparaging imagery and trite bullshit, sign my ass up!
-Gabe out
