The Daily Mail reports that the this video, entitled "Why every guy should buy their girlfriend Wii Fit", has been watched more than 2 million times. They also say that despite the fact that the couple who star in it are both in marketing, it's not a viral ad.

Gaming company Nintendo has also denied it is behind the video.

A Nintendo spokesman said: "This has and is absolutely 100 per cent nothing to do with Nintendo.

"Nintendo did not create it and were not aware of it until it was brought it to our attention."

Lauren Bernat, 25, claims she was secretly filmed by her boyfriend, Giovanny Gutierrez, 30, and that she was initially angry when she found out he had posted it. Now, the article claims, she's enjoying her 15 minutes of internet fame.... rather her ass's 15 minutes of internet fame.

Personally, I don't completely buy it. Take this quote from the boyfriend for instance:

"If she had known she was being filmed she would have changed her outfit to something cuter - perhaps let her hair down, taken her glasses off, etc."

Right, because ponytails and secretary glasses are total turnoffs.

Girl in Wii fit YouTube clip gets TWO MILLION admirers [Daily Mail]

The 'Wii Would Like to Play' campaign chose not to embrace an obvious strategy, namely fawning over the prized teenage male gamer. Instead, Wii targeted his mom, dad and grandmother. While the competition catered to a narrow audience, Wii invited everyone to play. As a result, the Wii has been sold out nationwide since the launch and ignited a cultural phenomenon in how people experience video games.

They can thank targeting all they want, I'm sticking to my theory that it was commercial's music that got inside your head more than those two Japanese blokes turning up on your doorstep.

'Wii Would Like to Play' Wins Grand Effie Marketing Award [GameDaily.biz]

I headed down there on Sunday so that I could pick up a Darkrai for my Pokemon game at Toys R Us (did you guys get one?), and since I live further uptown, I hadn't been there in a while - like since picking up and getting into GTA IV

I wasn't expecting it to be such a strange moment. Bright lights scrolling by, taxis everywhere, flashy cars to steal — I mean, admire. I've been floored by the grandeur of Times Square, tourist crowds and all, ever since I moved to New York City back in 2002, but this was the first time I got a little rush of surreal giddiness as if I'd walked into a video game.

And then, just when things couldn't get any weirder, I saw this:

Whoa, it's Niko!

See that little awning? They're selling nuts! I can restore my health!

Okay, maybe I should get out a little more. But they really went all-out with the GTA IV-as-wallpaper ad campaign - I also took a snap of six-fingered lollipop girl down on the Lower East Side. Rockstar never did answer me on what was with that six-finger deal.

Did you West Coasters go through this with San Andreas?

The full ad, hosted at the link below (alternately viewable in big, uncensored size right here) is definitely not safe for work unless your employer is cool with you checking out expertly groomed pubic hair and Photoshopped schlongs. You've been warned!

Sony PlayStation 3: Thumb [Ads of the World via Gawker]

GOLDEN TRAILER AWARDS HONOR THE YEAR'S BEST TRAILERS IN NINTH ANNUAL AWARDS SHOW

Hammer Creative Takes Home "Best Video Game Trailer" Award

MAY 12, 2008, LOS ANGELES: Hammer Creative has been honored with the award for the year's "Best Video Game Trailer" at the 9th Annual Golden Trailer Awards for their THE SIMPSONSTM GAME: MEDAL OF HOMER (Electronic Arts) trailer. This win marks the third year in a row that Hammer Creative has garnered this prestigious recognition, and is preceded by Best Video Game Trailer awards for THE GODFATHER: THE GAME (2006) and TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: DOUBLE AGENT (2007). "It's a real tribute to our video game team, led by Scott Hayman and Jim Botko, that we have had such consistent, long term creative success in the video game arena," commented Hammer Creative founder Mark Pierce. "EA has been a terrific partner and we look forward to our continued relationship with them."

"The 'Believe' campaign catapulted Halo 3 from an ordinary video game into a worldwide cultural phenomenon due to its ability to build an emotional rapport with the audience," said Mary Warlick, CEO of The One Club. "The innovative stream of interactive TV, Web and cinema advertisements was an inspired approach that successfully attracted an audience beyond the typical gamer."

"Misleading" PC World PS3 Ad Pulled [Next-Gen]

Target knows, the ad says, that you're spending all of your time playing GTA, but don't forget Mother's Day. That's right: GTA and Mother's Day in the same sentence. Classy.

This untapped potential of games upsets the very foundation of advertising as we know it. Instead of surrounding us with images that reflect lives unlived, games can allow us to try out hypothetical lives with new products, people and ideas. To realise this potential, advertisers of both goods and viewpoints must stop blindly inserting their billboards into games or creating feeble copies of the cornerstones of videogame pop culture. Instead, they must start simulating the products, public policy positions, charitable interventions and other worldly ideas in new games - games worthy of our attention.

I'm not sure I want to see advergames all over the place, but if we have to put up with in-game advertising, a little more sophistication would be welcomed.

Advertisers have yet to unlock the power of play [The Guardian]

We just hope no one is confused by the product imagery, mistaking the Wii Fit balance board for a prosthetic limb attachment on which you're supposed to balance your disembodied leg. Marketing isn't easy, folks!

Nintendo Hopes Its 'Wii Fit' Works Out [Wall Street Journal]

"City of Heroes is a key property for NCsoft and we take great care to grow and nurture our player community," said Brian Clayton, General Manager of NCsoft's Northern California studio. "We are pleased to work with Double Fusion on City of Heroes, as they have demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of our community and fundamentally understand how advertising can bring value to the players when executed gracefully, and in the appropriate context. In addition to allowing any of our players to opt-out if they so choose, their flexible technology will not only allow us to bring brand messages into the game but also provide a fun, new platform for displaying player-created materials."

NCsoft and Double Fusion make the common argument that the real world ads will add a level of realism to the game, but by allowing players to decide on their own whether that's really true they seem to be putting their money where their mouth is. NCsoft added that they will "dedicate all advertising dollars it earns to fund further game development for the online title."

I'm still not a fan of in-game advertising, but leaving the control in the hands of the players is a HUGE step forward. Dumping their earnings into further development is also a big plus.

The ads will go live sometime this summer, according to NCsoft NorCal GM Brian Clayton and the billboards can also be used to display player created content like, say, a picture of the top character in the game, which is kinda cool.

Bringing Optional In-Game Ads to Paragon City and the Rogue Isles [City of Heroes]

NCSOFT SELECTS DOUBLE FUSION AS GAME ADVERTISING PARTNER FOR CITY OF HEROES

SAN FRANCISCO — Apr. 3, 2008— Leading independent game advertising provider Double Fusion has entered an agreement with NCsoft®, the leading developer and publisher of online computer games, to represent the successful comic-book inspired massively multiplayer online game, City of Heroes®. Double Fusion will provide the technology and sales force to bring brands into the popular online role-playing game which takes place in a modern urban setting, an ideal environment for unobtrusive in-game advertising.

Double Fusion and NCsoft are focused on providing value to the players through this advertising partnership. While real world ads will lend realism to the urban world of City of Heroes, NCsoft also plans on taking advantage of Double Fusion's technology to display player-created content within the game. The publisher will dedicate all advertising dollars it earns to fund further game development for the online title, yet still allow players to opt out of advertising in order to provide flexibility to community members.

"Our partnership with NCsoft is a clear showcase for two of our guiding philosophies: bringing value to the player through appropriate use of advertising spaces and bringing new business models to the marketplace by creating new revenue streams that can help fund game development and community support" said Jonathan Epstein, president and CEO, Double Fusion.

"City of Heroes is a key property for NCsoft and we take great care to grow and nurture our player community," said Brian Clayton, General Manager of NCsoft's Northern California studio. "We are pleased to work with Double Fusion on City of Heroes, as they have demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of our community and fundamentally understand how advertising can bring value to the players when executed gracefully, and in the appropriate context. In addition to allowing any of our players to opt-out if they so choose, their flexible technology will not only allow us to bring brand messages into the game but also provide a fun, new platform for displaying player-created materials."

The addition of City of Heroes to the Double Fusion network demonstrates the company's commitment to offering their advertiser and agency partners a wide array of in-game advertising opportunities, to maximizing revenues for its publisher and developer partners and to building a portfolio of top titles among retail PC and console games, massively multiplayer online games, social networks, casual downloadable games, advanced online games and virtual worlds.

Xbox 360 teaches parents the art of street cred [X3F]

Kiwi Atari Reminder Campaign [bits bytes pixels & sprites]

The games are part of a $100 million investment by MTV Networks. MTV plans to spend $500 million on creating games for its websites through 2009 as well.

The whole thing is tied to the advertising packed into sites like MTV, Nick and Nick Jr. according to the article. Other games will allow player to try before they buy or include micro-transactions to make money.

Nickelodeon's Game Plan: 600 Casual Games Being Developed; 185 Games Planned For Nick.com Alone [Yahoo]

From Maple Story to Silkroad Online, there is no shortage of MMOs in the free to play space. In the same vein, there is an abundance of virtual worlds such as Second Life or Kaneva. It seems as though the vast majority of new free to play game since 2005 have been virtual worlds or MMOs.

Perhaps it's the very reason that these games have proliferated in the free to play market; MMOs and virtual worlds are inherently more inclusive than an FPS. Still, it would be a shame to see the free to play space flounder due to constant reiteration of the same genres and themes, turning away players seeking a different experience.

Considering the quiet inroads a number of free to play options have made in the American market, I would be surprised if the market didn't continue to grow - and I'm not convinced flying under the radar is such a bad thing.

Top 10 Free To Play Growth Killers [Free To Play]

The GTA IV poster also features an e-mail address and web site for the Liberty City Police Department. While the site isn't currently up, the e-mail auto responder is. The response is after the jump.

Keepin' it classy, as expected, Rockstar.

Thanks for the photo, Chris!

Please, no Wii Date Rape jokes in the comments. It's beneath you.

Ghost Squad: neue Printanzeige [WiiGamer via UK:R]

Reader Peter sends in these scans of Counter Strike Source ads that ran recently in a Seoul, Korea free daily paper. Peter also explained the country's love affair with the game.

Here in Korea CS clones like 'Special Force' and 'Sudden Attack' are popular despite having sub-CS1 graphics. They are free and players can pay for ad ons. I guess CS Source here will operate in the same way. I found the layout of the ad to be amusing. The history of CS comming out of the clouds, the slightly oxymoronic '2nd premiere' and the sparse nature of the screenshot with only the pistol in screen. Be interesting to see if a free CS Source becomes huge here in Korea.

I wonder how The Orange Box would do there? Hit the jump to see the bottom half of this full page ad.

Added support for Audio Mute/Unmute for video ads.

Download The Killer Sofa In PDF Form [The HCS Foundation - Thanks Billkwando!]

"We regret that these images slipped through the proper EA approval process," said a spokesperson for the publisher, speaking to GamesIndustry.biz. "They were not appropriate for our brand. The original site has been taken down this morning."

EA regrets Need for Speed porn promotion [GamesIndustry.biz]

It should go without saying that this is 100% not safe for work. Observe scientifically only when off the clock, as some folks just aren't ready for something this progressive.

Need For Speed ProStreet (NSFW) [Page 3 via Polygamia]

Advertising to the rescue. MostFun.com is offering free online versions of popular casual games like Diner Dash 2, Chocolatier, and Luxor 2 with no time limits. All you have to do is watch a pre- and post-play ad. Is it worth it? You'll have to be the judge; their player doesn't work yet on my Mac (or yours either).

Free Unlimited Premium Games [MostFun.com]

In July 2007, China Youth Travel Service Co., Ltd and Sohu jointly released a travel package based on the plots of a popular internet game: the Semi-Gods and the Semi-devils (天龙八部，Tianlong Babu). The game was adapted from a well-known martial arts novel by a Hong Kong novelist Jin Yong. In 2002 Taiwan-based Soft-world turned it into a RPG internet game and received enormous success on mainland China. The new travel package covered plot-related legendary places such as Hainan Island, Sichuan, Nanshao etc. and included real-world games similar to the internet games. The "Tianlong" fans, most of whom are in their twenties can also get VIP cards to play with the internet games after they go back home.

I wonder if this is the sort of thing that will ever make the jump outside of Asia. And what form would it take? And would Western gamers pony up for the chance to travel around with a horde of fellow gamers, taking in the sites.

Trend: Chinese Virtual Games Go Real [CScout]

For the third year in a row Seagate is taking to a dozen cities to pitch their harddrives.

The tour schedule includes Denver, New York, LA and plenty of places in between and each stop will feature several daily gaming tournaments. This time around the Frag Dolls will also be making an appearance at the New York, Dallas and Las Vegas events.

Hit the site for the full break down of locations.

Seagate Digital Experience Tour

One of the strongest aspects of Ratchet and Clank, has to be the quality of the visuals, and we wanted to showcase this in the TV ad, meaning it'll be made up entirely of actual gameplay footage.

So will R&C Tools capture the hearts of the consumer public? I'm not sure. But it's most certainly one of the most beautiful games I've ever laid eyes on, with a graphical style and platforming experience that has no parallel in the "next gen" marketplace today. Here's hoping it moves a few units, because people should be playing it. Seriously, for their own good.

Sony pumps £1m into Ratchet TV campaign [mcv]

I write occasional features for Playboy Magazine, which is kinda fun to brag about at parties. Recently, the mag has been trying to tweak their game coverage, upping their features to make them more thoughtful and quite a bit longer.

My editor sent me a copy of the recent magazine to check out how things were looking in print and I noticed a difference. In particular I quite enjoyed their Geniuses at Play feature which gave well-know game designers the space to explain some of the keys to making a good game.

At this point in the 21st century it's clear that video games constitute a medium unto themselves. It's an art form and an industry awash in possibility, with rules and boundaries that have only begun to be explored. When you play a game, whether it's Madden, Tetris or Halo, you create your own unique path through it. We may take video games' multiple narratives for granted, but they are precisely what separates games from other storytelling media. The player is as much the author of the experience as the game's creator.

To discern what makes the medium of video games different from other forms that preceded it, we spoke with
some of the foremost minds in the industry. They told us where games have been, where they're headed and what it all means. Some are cynical, some are stressed, others starry-eyed. All are passionate about what they do.

The article goes on to quote the likes of Warren Spector, Sid Meier, Ken Levine and Denis Dyack. Good read. But what I found even more interesting in the magazine (no, not that) was this quirky little Advertorial tucked away next to the game reviews.

The two-page ad was set up to look like a straight-up Playboy Interview with Kane of Kane & Lynch fame. The ad is full of back story grist, details about The 7, Kane's conviction on 25 counts of manslaughter and who the fictitious Kane would like to see portray him in a movie.

This is stacks better than a babe search for best sexy mascot, if you ask me.

Nintendo insists that we all have a "unique Wii story to tell", which while certainly exaggerated could be true. But what I don't think is true is that we've all been chomping at the bit waiting for someone to launch a website so we can tell them. I mean why would we want to do that, isn't that essentially advertising? Oh... yeah.

If you're antsy to start telling your story you can hit up the new website Nintendo launched just for that purpose.

MyWiiStory

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Every Wii(TM) owner has a unique Wii story to tell: the guy whose girlfriend could finally partake of his video gaming pastime — and win... the family whose weekly game night shifted from board games to video games... the mom who refused to let her son keep the Wii in his room — because she wanted to play too.

In response to the growing Wii phenomenon, Nintendo has set up MyWiiStory.com. It's a place where Wii owners and their friends and family have been gathering to post real-life anecdotes about the way that Wii has changed their social dynamic or even their opinions about video games. Men and women, young and old, kids and grandparents — people of all types have posted anecdotes, photos and videos of their experiences with Wii.

"Everyone's a gamer and every gamer has a Wii story to share," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "We want all Wii owners to go to MyWiiStory.com to further demonstrate the extent to which we have brought new players into the world of video games."

Here is a sampling of some of the kinds of stories you will find on the site:

— "We are the house that everyone wants to be at because of the Wii.
When we have dinner parties, the evening ends up in the living room
for dessert, coffee and Wii. It has brought our family
closer." — Katia Clark
— "I bought the Wii to use for exercise indoors. ... People assume
that it belongs to one of my sons and I get a kick out of seeing their
faces when I tell them it's mine!" — Jeanne Boutwell
— "I'm a 46-year-old mom, never really played any video games. My kids
are now 25 yrs, 22 yrs and 19 yrs old. I am having a Wii party on the
21st of this month. We sent out invitations and I have about 15 women
coming to try to play Wii." — Sue Leone
— "I always liked to bowl, although I wasn't very good at it, but I had
to stop 4 years ago when I was diagnosed with bone cancer. A few
months ago we purchased a Wii and I was able to bowl again. We have
major family tournaments and I have hit 'PRO' status. Thanks to Wii I
am able to enjoy one of my life's pleasures again." — Randy Bhaga
— "As a woman with multiple sclerosis, I have found that playing the Wii
has offered me both a chance to use my body and my mind. I've
recommended it to other MSers on one of my Web sites. I think it is
just a phenomenal way to exercise and play." — Diana de Avila

It's been quite awhile since a marketing idea has completely confused me. So I guess it's about time.

Eidos today announced a partnership with Playboy and Fox Interactive to promote Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. If the promotional partner selection isn't head-scratching enough, the concept certainly is. The idea is that IGN, Playboy and MySpace will team up to conduct a "cyber search" to find the "perfect girl who can best evoke Kane and Lynch's dangerous vibe." WTF?

A lot of things pop into my head when I think about the gritty, unsettling action shooter, but hot women is not one of them. In fact, I kinda find it disturbing that a game about the brutality of a mercenary and a psychopath could in anyway be turned into sexy. It's not sexy, it's not supposed to be. It's disturbing. Let's keep it that way.

REDWOOD CITY, CA (OCT. 2, 2007) - Eidos Interactive, one of the world's leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, today announced a partnership with Playboy, the premier online destination for men, and Fox Interactive Media to launch a Cyber Search for the ideal female to accompany the upcoming Eidos video game Kane & Lynch: Dead Men.

Utilizing the strengths and communities of three media giants - IGN.com, Playboy, and MySpace.com - the Cyber Search will span three major online targets, from the gaming community and the leading men's lifestyle and entertainment site to one of the world's largest social networking sites - actively involving these communities to find the perfect girl who can best evoke Kane and Lynch's dangerous vibe. Gamers can visit kaneandlynch.ign.com to submit and vote for their favorite candidate in the Cyber Search.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a cinematic crime drama that tells a raw and gritty tale of two anti-heroes - one a flawed mercenary, the other a medicated psychopath - set in an intense third-person action shooter. Forced to embark on a violent and chaotic journey, hating each other every step of the way, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men features a gripping storyline, relentless third-person action and an innovative twist on the online multiplayer gameplay experience.

With the release of Halo 3 just days away the ultimate faceoff went down over the weekend at the Dover Speedway: Halo 3 took on the Wii in the form of a NASCAR racing pitting Greg Biffle versus David Stremme.

Exactly 306 laps into the 440 lap race Stremme's number 40 car blew its engine and sidelined the racer. No, I'm not making that up: The Halo car got a red ring of death.

Meanwhile Biffle's Wii mobile landed a respectable second place. Ouch.

Dover 440

This week, according to BrandWeek's report on Microsoft's marketing efforts, will bring about a new push for next Master Chief adventure. With the "Starry Night" TV spot behind us, the beta long gone and Project Iris keep fans momentarily distracted, the hype machine has moved on to the "Believe" portion.

BrandWeek describes it as a "week-long celebration featuring the making of specials, tournaments and media frenzy typical of a Hollywood blockbuster will lead up to a midnight madness event." They dissect the campaign in their latest analysis.

Strategy: Anatomy Of An Onslaught: How Halo 3 Attacked [Brand Week]