Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Obama Begins Advertising In Xbox 360 Video Game

Last week I told you Obama would be buying a 30 minute prime time "commerical" spot on CBS, NBC and ABC-the main 3 TV stations across the nation. The cost is expected to be $1 million per station. A few former candidates have also departed from the traditional advertising format to buy blocks of airtime. In 1992, Ross Perot bought time on network television and Hillary Clinton paid for an hour-long town hall special on Lifetime television, a cable network aimed at women, during the Democratic primary campaign.

He is now charting new territory. Video game publisher Electronic Arts confirmed that the Obama campaign bought in-game advertising for the Xbox 360 racing game "Burnout Paradise." The ad is actually seen on a roadside billboard. The sign has a picture of Obama and says, "Early Voting Has Begun," and also includes the website voteforchange.com. The company said the ads were sold much in the same way that television, print, and radio outlets handle political advertising. EA also said the ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the development team.

Why isn't John McCain doing the same? McCain took public financing and by doing so, is limited in how much he can spend. He is on an $84m budget for these elections. Obama has no such constraints. The candidate this week increased his spending on television advertising to $3m a day, and is expected to spend even more as the election approaches. The McCain camp, in contrast, spent about $1.6m a day.

Thoughts...............

21 comments:

parks said...

I think its unbelievable for the candidates to spend 3 million dollars a day. They should be helping out the country with the debt situation or something more effective.

brooke said...

I think it's sweet that Obama is using X-box as one of his campaign techniques because then he is going to gain a wide range of voters! But that's insane that they spend that amount of money on campaigning! But I guess they can do what they want, and if they want to lead this country they can waste all the money they want! At least they are using the money for a semi-good thing, and not just going to vegas and blowing it all, or spending it on strippers...well not that we know of anyways.

Cassandra said...

Yeah that is a lot of money to be spending on advertising, but if one person wants to win, i think that they are going to have to have more advertising or do something more than their opponent.

holmer said...

i think it is ridiculous for them to spend that kind of money on campaigning,it should be going towards something decent like maybe our debt.

Boltingslash said...

ridiculous to spend that much money on a xbox 360 video game omg that this dum.

Miss Menahga '08 said...

obviously obama knows how to effectively sell himself. thats what it is who can sell themselves better.
obama seems like he is in touch with what our country is in to and he obviously is trying to get the younger vote and i think this is a very effective way.

Skoog said...

Wow that is a lot of money to spend on advertising. But put yourself in his shoes. If you really want people to know what you're all about, what you believe in, and what you stand for, you will need to use a large amount of money to do so.

Anonymous said...

All I can say is that I hope this spending pays off. If not what a waste. It is a a lot of money but most of it is from individual contributions like celebrities. I guess if the candidate has the funds why not use them any way necessary?

jacob ylitalo said...

Obama dosent know nothing, he is a liar he don't like America, he must be desperate if he is advertising through X box, Obama need to get a grip on himself.

Paige T said...

I think it's crazy how much money is spent for campaigning. Maybe they could use their money for other issues to prove what they can do and gain votes that way rather than just spending it trying to say what they will do.

kamiKazyCraig22 said...

I think that McCain is not really thinking on trying to advertising to the young votes. Which Obama is which he is doing a smart thing by buying ads for commercials and in the video games.

bobbert said...

i think that Obama should spend less on advertising and more on helping out the country.

brew said...

I think its ridiculous that the candidates spend so much money on campaigning. Maybe they should put that money towards our debt. Since we are 700 billion more down the drain!

RamRod said...

Well Obama is being smart by doing that he will get many new young voters that and McCain should try to do the same but it doesn't look that way so he will probably lose.

darren said...

i think it is fine that they are spending their own money own on campaigning. they can do whatever they want to do with their money.

beth said...

thats alot of money to spend on advertising. but a candidate has to do what they think they need to do to win the election.

karv said...

it is absurd that they spend that kinda money how bout they give some of it to the middle class people and the poverty stricken like the saying goes the rich get richer and the poor get poorer

highteckdudu said...

John probably just doesn't feel the same way, I dont really care how people advertise it doesn't really change peoples mind unless they are extremely gullible or something.

RockStar said...

wow so thats where all the money is going. ya they raised it but still it could help pay off stuff.it crazy that they spend so much money on advertising when alot of people don't even watch pay attention to them.

Brocat23 said...

i think its stupid to spend that much money on adds but its to get the point out to americans and if it helps them to choose the best then it might just be worth it

Stewart said...

All of Obama's advertising obviously worked so good for him. Thinking outside of the box s what got him the election.