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Watch along with Josh as he breaks down his favorite video-game commercials. I'd never seen a couple of these before. We've come a long way from some of the awful ads of the '80s and '90s.
As gamers, you and I know , and we know what entertains us. For me, that's exactly what good advertising should do: entertain. It should be fun, insightful, and relatable. What it shouldn't do is treat us like we're four years old and shout sales pitch after sales pitch until we want to high-five someone in the face.
The ads below are a few from the last 10 years that speak to us on our level. They convey the truth about video games...and more importantly, about the people who play them.
Honorable mention: Xbox Live -- It's good to play together
Serious online console gaming started with the Dreamcast, but it was Xbox Live that brought it out of its adolescence. With advertising as crystal clear as this, that's no surprise. I'm not a fan of the stereotyping (not every girlfriend hates video games), which is why I've given it an honorable mention. But the fact that you don't need to understand this couple's yapping is a testament to how universal the idea of online gaming has always been, even when it was just an itch in the Xbox's pants.
10. PSP -- Dust balls & squirrels
To gain any ground on the Nintendo DS, Sony needed to do something different. Not only did this campaign stand out, it left people wondering what strain of leafy-green substance its creators were smoking. The brand of WTF humor is right up my alley, and it makes me appreciate Sony for taking such a risk.
OK, what I really mean to say is that these ads just make me want a gun that shoots love potion bullets. You still working on that, Sony? Great. Thanks.
9. Mercenaries 2 -- Oh no you didn't!
Feel free to give me a hard time for this one, because the actual commercial, like the game, is not that great. I'd rather see some good storytelling than a bunch of beauty shots of gameplay or cut-scenes. That said, the song that came out of these 30 seconds of mediocrity is anything but ho-hum. It's seriously hilarious and has over 2,000,000 views on YouTube. Oh yes they did.
8. PlayStation 3 -- Anything with Kevin Butler in it
The only reason these aren't higher on my list is that they are so formulaic. Even so, the writing, acting, and directing in these commercials are so spot on, you can't help but wish every office had a Kevin Butler running the show.
Fun fact: If you look closely, Kevin Butler's title changes in each ad. Search for the rest on YouTube to see what other jobs he's held at Sony. It's not just fun -- it's a completely unproductive way to spend your work day!
7. Sony PlayStation 2 -- Fun, anyone?
This one will always have a special place in my heart. I first saw it during a journalism class I took in college, and it taught me that more often than not, the simpler an idea is, the better it becomes. In this case, that idea can be summed up in one word: fun. Are video games fun? Yes. Truth in advertising? Imagine that!
6. Call of Duty: Black Ops -- There's a soldier in all of us
Any time you cram Kobe Bryant shooting an assault rifle, Jimmy Kimmel firing a rocket launcher, and some guy who appears to be the most ass-kicking fast-food worker in the history of fast-food workers all into one commercial, you've got yourself an instant classic. Plus, they might be onto something with this "There's a soldier in all of us" shtick. How else do you explain Black Ops becoming the best-selling video game in U.S. history?
Click on for the rest of the list.
