Ubisoft's little, white, Splinter Cell advertisement lie

[wraggster]

News from PSPFanboy

Everyone knows advertising is biased. If the whole point of creating an advert for a product is to drum up hype (and therefore sales), then chances are companies will try their darndest to make sure their baby’s put in the best light possible. There are laws that protect consumers from outright fabrication, but what if the ad is only sort of telling a fib?

Case in point: Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell Essentials ad. The advert was called to 1UP’s attention, and things at first glance do look dubious indeed. The statement “One of the best games on the PSP” made by GameSpy was culled, they discovered, from a preview the gaming website did months before the game was released. While said preview was indeed hopeful of the game’s kick-assery, it instead was given a swift kick in the ass by their later review.

The article states that no response has yet been received from either Ubisoft or GameSpy about the ad. We’re guessing this’ll be one of those “oops” things; someone’ll get smacked on the wrist and the ad will disappear with reputation and advertising relationship intact. What’s your take on this? Do you think Ubisoft’s gone too far, or do you think what they did is justifiable?

[felonyr301]

its business folks just business its neither evil or good lol

[idapimp]

i think ubisoft probably paid them for hyping up the game. the ad HAD to use credit from someone to make it look good so given enough money gamespy said "we'll do it"

[geise69]

Yeah I would have to agree that Ubisoft more than likely paid them for hyping up the game. It happens all the time. It's not that much different than seeing the Call of Duty or Battle Field 2 commercials. Gotta love CG rendered animation to sell a game. I wonder how many people thought those were "in game" graphics. Anyway someone is just gonna get a slap on the wrist and this is going to get swept under the rug. Then it will probably happen in the next couple months again with some other game.

[grin.ch]

It's too bad what certain ppl will do just to create a hype... As Public Enemy said, "Don't believe the hype"