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The Power of the Media Fighting Hype The Middle of the Road

Aiming for Middle of the Road

Although many PR and marketing professionals may find this concept theoretically ludicrous, it seems the best-selling, best-rated games, with few exceptions, aim their campaigns squarely for the middle of the road. They distribute just enough press materials and promotional information that people are aware of the game and its unique features, but they don't issue a press release every time any small milestone is reached and they don't boast that the game will revolutionize the industry, change the world, and cause mass unemployment because people become automatically addicted and lose control of their lives.

Staying committed to a realistic schedule that coordinates real accomplishments in the title's development and PR/marketing efforts is imperative. Keeping the promotional materials consistent and targeted to the end user is also important. A lot of titles are promoted as hybrids of every genre known to gamers - and a few newly created ones. No game can be everything to everyone and in a futile, and often harmful, attempt to increase sales, marketing and advertising information remains vague. Instead of every gamer rushing out to buy a title with purportedly no focus or direction, the gamers that would purchase the title as fans of a genre are unaware that it exists in that category.

Who Dropped the Ball: Figuring Out Where You Went Wrong

Some PR faux pas are human error - materials are not edited or proofread and a title goes out with words misspelled in the packaging text and promotional displays. Careful attention to detail (and perhaps a spelling test as part of the hiring process) can prevent these errors. And truthfully, if your marketing and PR people are missing the basic essentials, you probably deserve some mockery to serve as a reminder so simple mistakes will be caught next time. Discovering the trigger for many media massacres is not this simple.

Timing can be a propellant or hindrance in marketing and launching a title. Knowing what competing titles are scheduled to launch simultaneously with yours can help in restructuring a schedule or fine-tuning a promotional campaign. Differentiating your title from a competitor - especially in the same genre - can put more money in your pocket. These differentiations are also important because reviewers will compare two similar titles launching at the same time and providing them with guidelines or benchmarks will help your title stand out.

Although this seems relatively simple, there are a few ways it can go wrong. The simplest path from differentiation to nightmare press is boasting that your game does things it does not do. It's also a good idea to avoid getting into a one-up contest with the competing title. Consumers will buy your game based on its' strengths and unique qualities, not because you're fighting like a little girl on a playground with a competing developer. Simply highlighting the title's features and providing information about technology, design, and gameplay can make the game distinct and memorable.

Problem: Bombarding Press with Frequent Boastful Superfluous Releases
Sending press releases too often and boasting more than the game is capable of is another fast track to no press or bad press. Developers and publishers can fork out a lot of cash to hire a PR professional or have a good firm on retainer. Unfortunately, a lot of them try to get their money's worth in quantity of press releases sent, with little or no attention to the message they deliver or the fact they can be incredibly obtrusive and annoying popping up in the editors inbox four times a week (or more!).

If the outlet needs content badly enough to actually run all of the press releases, consumers become disenchanted with a title that has been forced on them like an ally NPC that gets stuck in doorways or accidentally shoots them in the back. Not only will editors post highly entertaining tongue-in-cheek comments about the revolutionary breakthroughs of completing the formation of one monster's toenail, but gamers will become tired of the title long before it launches.

Press releases that boast a game as the end all be all to everyone with opposable thumbs also invite unwanted press. Unless the game is truly unlike anything that anyone has ever seen (not just your Mom and your girlfriend), don't say it is. Even if it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, it's best to let editors and reviewers make that declaration - it is better to astound credible people with your amazing accomplishment in digital entertainment than to promise to do so and be heckled like a bad comic. As you design and develop a game in accordance with a strategic marketing campaign, wait until a feature is complete and a permanent part of the game before ranting and raving about it.

A fine example is the ever-popular new engine. Advancements in technology are an amazing feat and developers must continue improving to remain creative and competitive, but new engines are not quickly or easily created. Developing a new engine can ruin an otherwise perfect schedule if time for it is not properly allotted and announcing a new engine and all of its high-end features is not something that should be done without proper consideration. If you have already publicized this incredible engine and the plan has to be scrapped and reformulated half way through, when the game comes out, the engine you have is different from the engine you promised. New engines and technology are best announced once proven and mostly completed. Holding off on these announcements can also give you a competitive edge.

Marketing your title as everything to everyone can result in negative attention. If the title seems as though it cannot be categorized, promotional efforts will miss their target - primarily because they do not have a specific one. If the game is an RPG with some adventure elements, make that clear.

Solution: Clear Concise Product Description
Don't try to be vague in order to avoid categorization - instead of selling to everyone, the mystery title will miss genre fans. Vague or misleading press announcements will also harm media coverage of your product as editors will be confused or need more information to complete a story or review and may not have the resources to do that research. Targeting the game to an audience it isn't intended for will only frustrate consumers and create backlash - your credibility and reputation can be severely damaged. Instead of choosing your products in the future, consumers and media alike will remember the game they bought based on inaccurate information - information for which you are held responsible.

Problem: Counterattacking the Press
Although negative press attention and loss of credibility can be damaging, they need not be devastating. If you feel coverage and reviews of your game are unfair, you can correct some of the misconceptions if you do so honestly, tactfully, and professionally. The most important thing to consider when your game struggles under the weight of a 29 out of 100 review or a ridiculing story is to carefully examine the judgments. Perhaps you faulted and the mockery will improve your procedures so you avoid making similar mistakes in the future. Perhaps twisted fate thrust your game into the hands of an evil troll and your game received an extremely insulting review to boost readership as the publication struggles for eyeballs (more than likely, it was the former rather than the latter).

Solution: Professional Responses to Criticism
Avoid adding insult to injury and burying your own title. Mature responses to criticism are also important, although as artists, it is understandably difficult to stomach criticism of your work. If you begin an advertising campaign that incites anger and resentment, it may be a good idea to adjust that effort. Negative response to marketing and promotional efforts may be an indication of things to come.

Problem: Careless Demo Selection and Distribution
Careful demo selection is important when sending copies out for consumers and editors to evaluate. Checking and rechecking the demo for glitches and bugs that prevent or seriously impede gameplay is essential. No one expects a demo to be flawless, but it is the first known representation of what will be a finished product, so sending out something that will only frustrate people because it won't run or something that lacks essential elements is not a wise choice. Horrible demos can lead to very poor expectations of the final version and often, can create self-fulfilling prophecies. If you were in the market to purchase a car, and when you went to the dealership, the key didn't fit the door, the car stalled twice before it went backwards instead of forwards, and the bumper fell off, would you want to purchase it? The purpose of the demo is to allow editors and gamers to test-drive your game - better send them a version that will start.

Solution: Corrections and Apologies
If a buggy demo does go out, it is imperative that when the bugs are fixed, announcements are made and new versions are delivered. Publicly admitting fault and correcting problems is the first step to regaining trust and delivering a quality product. Making an effort to rectify the situation in a manner that requires little effort or investigation from the media can greatly benefit your finished product. Editors have very limited time and providing them with needed information and materials will be greatly appreciated. If there are problems: admit to them, explain them, and correct them. Addressing feedback properly can only improve the finished product and the relationship you have with consumers. Avoid band-aid cover-ups or quick fixes that fall short in the long run. Denying responsibility or incompletely addressing problems will hurt both the finished product and your credibility.

Never get in a war of words with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Although that adage is outdated, the lesson holds true. Getting in an insult match with an editor, publication, or message board will do nothing but reduce your chances for redemption. Aside from doing further harm to your reputation, your title, and your company; you appear petty and immature - leading to further mockery (this time likely with cartoon drawings of little girls crying).

Game development and publishing are businesses and it is important to behave as professionals when communicating with editors and consumers. Not only will problems be resolved in a mature, strategic manner, relationships can be built that enhance fan base, profitability, and brand loyalty. The promotion, marketing, development, publishing, and distribution of a game should be one strategic, well-planned process - not separate parts acting independently and with different goals. The end goal is to create and promote a quality title that will please consumers and make enough money to begin new projects.

Reading from the Same Page

The marketing, public relations, and advertising efforts need to be congruent and complement one another. All promotional efforts need to be consistent and reflect the tone and goals of the title - instead of advertising, marketing, and PR delivering separate or opposing messages that diminish attempts to raise proper awareness of the game. If communication between developers, publishers and corporate marketing personnel is convoluted, all segments can be going out to the media and end consumers with a different message. PR and marketing can be claiming an RPG launch in Q3 while the development team is answering interview questions about an action/adventure launching in Q1 of the following year. Not only will people become confused and the project will look scattered and unprofessional, but they will rapidly lose interest in keeping the story straight.

Internal communication amongst the development team, the publisher, and the promotional people is imperative to having an informed project team reading from the same page. A decided look and theme that carry from the game to advertisements and press materials allows the game to establish brand recognition. Without brand recognition, hundreds of thousands of dollars can be wasted on promoting a game that ultimately remains on the shelf as more recognizable games find new homes - and produce revenue.

Games Going Mainstream

As the games industry becomes more mainstream, it begins to encounter the same obstacles and organizational changes as other industries. Corporate mergers, takeovers, structural shifts, executive additions or subtractions - all of these are disseminated into the media and can easily influence both project development and public perception. The game industry should be able to learn from past mistakes in other industries about cover-ups, miscommunication, and withholding information - and not repeat those mistakes. Consumers are not interested in contributing money to a seemingly manipulative company, no matter how great the products may be. While a hard core gamer that has been waiting for years on a title will purchase that title regardless of corporate behavior, potential consumers might make another selection. Keeping the media informed of important corporate news can ward off bad press and maintain the reputation of an honest business.

Although most people still prefer to think of development teams as groups of hard-core gamers giving birth to creative genius, game companies are in fact becoming corporate entities and must adhere to some corporate standards. Intelligent marketing and PR can benefit the company and its projects - helping create the kind of company to absorb others, instead of the kind that passes out pink slips.

Katherine Oliver is Director of Communications for Octagon Entertainment in Chapel Hill, NC. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations/Media Communication.

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