The United States' general election campaign enters its final week, and if we've learned anything about the state of our country, it's this: The one absolutely recession-proof business is political advertising.
We're going open-ended this week, gang, but I think you can handle this. Your assignment: Mash up the political campaigns with video games. How to do that? Suggestions.
• That picture above. Swap the headline. Swap the head. Swap both.
• The Obama Hope poster? It's still good, assuming every single Team Fortress 2 character, including the Cow hasn't yet been featured in one. If not, other Valve games are a good starting point. Character, word, make it funny. Bang.
• Yard signs. Think up a dream ticket and stick it on someone's lawn. Funnier than yard signs? Game characters committing yard sign vandalism.
• In-game advertising. This concept practically 'shops itself.
• Debate participants. Bonus points if you include this guy somehow.
• Nasty attack ads. Thing about game characters, good or evil, they all have nemeses. Make up wildass accusations, but sure to include the small type, like "Paid for by friends of Albert Wesker." Ah, who are we kidding, he has no friends.
• Bouchart, this one rule is for you: President Ronnie from Bad Dudes is an automatic DQ*.
Post your submissions in the comments. The 20 best will get rounded up and published at the end of next Saturday. Meantime, I and the rest of the starred commentariat will approve and promote as many as we can so folks can see them and pass judgment. Remember, if you're trying to get a comment account approved, turning in a worthy 'shop is an easy path to the privilege.
One change this week - I am off next weekend, so these will be rounded up not on Oct. 30 but on Nov. 6. So you have two weeks to bring the laughs.
Alright, start shoppin'!
* Unless it's really funny.