Ad critic: Lara's booty too big to believe? [update 1]

Alright, I read about 20 comments. These posts are to encourage reader participation (for all those who are crying about them) If you don't like them, well then skip over them, they don't leave that much of a footprint.

Ads don't need screenshots!! That's what these magazines and the internet is for. Ad's like this one are teasers, the whole point is to make you notice it, and want to know more. This is how these ads work, they show you just enough, and encourage you to find out more.

Other than that, the ad is pretty successful. You have the sex appeal and guns for the average male consumer, you have the visual quality of "next gen" and there you go, a video game ad. Far more tasteful and interesting that the recent hitman ones, I hate those.

I think this is a good ad... the 'seeing is believing' part makes me think it's a reference to the game graphics ( which are pretty good, at least in the X360 demo ). The massive fanny does exactly what it should do: get my attention. I stopped long enough to actually read the ad, and that makes it effective as a piece of marketing.

What is happening to Joystiq? I've been reading for several months and lately it seems that the posts have taken a turn down. Every day there's like 20 google video posts now, and the thing that seems lacking the most is actual video game news...it used to be pretty clean too, now the posters (in addition to the commenters) are dropping the f-bomb and posting topics to specifically discuss sex...Can we be honest enough to say that while we recognize it's mature to say things like "I don't even notice Lara's butt", it's really not true of most of us?

Honestly, I wouldn't have even thought about her booty had you not mentioned it. Kind of like when a friend points out something odd about someone else at a bar. You wouldn't have noticed it had your friend not said anything, but now you can't stop looking at it.

Anyway the ad. It's reminiscent of teaser posters you see at movie theaters and has the same effect: if you were hyped about it already it's cool, otherwise it just kind of "meh." Lara Croft was instantly recognizable (and I'd imagine you'd know who it was if you were reading EGM in the first place), so they've got that going for it. Are they selling sexy? I would say yes, but I think the advertisers didn't have much choice. Lara's outfits are what make her recognizable. They could have gone with just her face, but depending on how they designed her for this particular game it might not have been as recognizable as the tight clothes and weapons (plus, it's harder to make a face look realistic than a body when you're that close).

And what does "seeing is believing" mean? See the mountains? I already believe in mountains. See Lara Croft? Um, okay. And I honestly can't tell if she's standing the edge of a cliff and looking into a valley or if that's the grass leading up to a cliff. If the former, then Lara is huge! If the latter, then the grass in that area look like miniature trees. Not good if you're trying to sell realism in your game.

I give it a "meh."

While her lower body looks very pleasing to the eyes, the rest of the ad fails to interest me. Some screenshots of the actual game would have been more influential.

The reason that Lara was so big back in the PSX days is because of her figure. Sure the game had great mechanics for its day, but it hig the big time because you played as a sexy character. Nowadays, if they make a Lara game where she isn't 'fine' to look at, then players will be outraged as that is the reason that many of them picked up the game in the first place. Sure sex sells, but it's also an addiction.

3 comments:

1) The ad works because even non-gamers can glance at it and realize its a Tomb Raider ad. That means that the character is known well enough that it doesnt need captions or anything other than the central figure.

2) Most gamers cringe at the thought of another Tomb Raider game. Yet here we are with a mess of posts discussing it. If this were Pitfall Harry we wouldn't bother but since its Lara then everyone has an opinion. Thats a solid character worth giving another chance.

3) On what planet is that a big butt? I just don't understand the claims of the article.

Not only is this advert an insipid topic of discussion, her ass isn't even that phat(fat??). Being a black male, it's my duty to know a juicy booty when it suits me.

C'mon Joystiq. While I thought the Hitman ad exposition was unecessary (made me wonder how "controversial" the ad truly was outside your own community), at least the subject matter was intelligent. You're not even trying here. It's as if one of your bloggers experienced some vagarious outburst of sexual energy upon viewing the add (read: got a boner) as a result of not getting laid, and hoped a gaming community of horny, teenage to twenty-somethings would vicariously empathize (i know that's extreme, I'm being partially facetious).

I request you guys be a bit more selective with your ad decisions please, don't force it. If there are no ads worth discussing at the time, just don't bother and be patient. :)


-Kimosabae
(and if the people commenting truly believe that's a phat/fat ass, ya'll need to get out more)

Laure is a sexy female you play in the game. It's what made the game so popular, along with the game play. All of the hardcore TR fans are going to get the game because they are fans. Obviously, in an ad, they are going to show her body. Her body is appealing. It doesn't mean that's the only reason to buy it. I personally never played the games. I didn’t like the movies. Looking at the picture, she does have a nice ass. I decided to download the demo, and I actually like the game play. It does help that she looks good, and the camera lets you get a looking up ass angle.

It's a simple teaser people.

Why people have to come up with outlandish theories about what some advertisements represent is beyond me.

Also, Lara's ass is FAR from being too big. If it was any smaller it would be FLAT. She is supposed to be in shape you know.....

Sadly, the ads to me express that "seeing (the game) is believing." And it is true. The game was a huge surprise for me. Honestly it would of been better to put "playing is believing", but the fact is that it would not work has well has a well placed a clich?The fact that Lara has the typical videogame heroine figure adds to this particular ad, being that for years, and to this day, a good percentage of casual and hardcore gamers think of her physique. The rest of the ads that I have seen, have shown more of the game play, and less of the sex appeal. They really need to start hyping game play more in ads, because a game with just pretty graphics and no real game play is like a computer these days with no internet: boring and frustrating at the same time. But that is my opinion.

What's up with making the readers of Joystiq into some type of advertisement focus group?? What are these companies paying to do this??

It's a good add and a very nice booty indeed but a nice booty will not get my to buy a game alone. I'll read at least two reviews first and if they are good, then maybe I'll pick it up.

I don't think the size of her ass is unbelievable. What's unbelievable is that anyone would choose to go out raidin' tombs wearing leather hot pants with a penchant for riding up into your asscrack.

For me the whole seeing is believing line is not so much about how the game looks and plays but more the fact that they were able to resurrect a very dead video game character successfully. The first Tomb Raider was great, the second was okay and after that it all just went downhill over and over again. I wasn't sure about this one but after playing the demo I'm definately gonna be getting it. The booty is nice in the pic but I don't see how it could be impossibly big when one of my old high school teachers had a butt that stuck out like a foot to each side, scary indeed.

The Hitman ad was memorable because there was actually something to ponder and debate in it's form amongst us. I didn't see the dark imagery and undertones others saw it in obviously, but it made for great discussion... but this? Shouldn't it be pretty obvious to all that they are selling Lara's physical assets over the actual game? When you have a picture that predominately displays a nice ass coupled with the banter "seeing is believing" you can do the math yourself. Whenever anyone actually goes out and buys the latest Tomb Raider game because of a nicely drawn ass in an ad (subconsciously or otherwise) is debatable and for anyone that does, I really feel sorry for you.

The point I find the most fascinating right now is the eerily similarities between the Tomb Raider and the Hitman ads. I swear they are being done by the same PR marketing firm. Take a look at them and think about it. Both games feature two page ads that are somewhat provocative and feature two or three word sell lines such as "Beautifully Executed" or "Seeing is Believing". Of course both games are under the Eidos banner too.

For those that want to go all the way - here are two more ads examples of the same games that appear in the May issue of OXM.

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/3263/lara27bf.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7483/bloodmoney21rs.jpg

The Tomb Raider ad is still very much focused on Lara's physical traits. This time they focus their attention on her boobs and noticeable cleavage. What sells more anyhow? Boobage or badonka-donk? I mean does it matter what age and color you are? Can we get a marketing expert in here perhaps? Someone wanna do up a quick pie chart? Wait a minute, who cares.

There is also another ad for Hitman Blood Money, but it is certain to be less sexually charged as the first one seemed to be. I sent this in to Joystiq back when the first Hitman ad went up here, but I guess it wasn't newsworthy enough. Out is the dead lady with the tagline "Beautifully Executed" and in is this dead musician with the tag "Classically Executed". In any case, ads... love 'em, hate 'em, advertising sells games one way or another.

I can't believe someone at Joystiq just said "badonkadonk". That sounds like the spelling of some Donkey Kong sound effects. WTF.

eh... pretty mediocre ad. With all the hype around this game I was sorta expecting something more clever and involved. The shadow thing is an alright concept, but confusing as its physically impossible unless there was a really freakin bright light behind her and she was really way up high, but they had to bend the rules to get the effect anyway so... have at it.

Better than previous tomb raider ads I can remember, but not all that visualing interesting or new.

and proportionate to her body, the butt isn't even that big. Very uhh... athletic and contained within some impossible shorts. Horray, like we haven't seen digital ass before >_>



In answer to someones post from before, I have no idea why 'ass' is such a popular american slang word for the butt. If we're comparing, where does 'arse' come from anyway? Isn't a mule different from an ass which is different from a donkey? Important questions for important times :)

A. Ads are ads. Doesn't matter if they are selling TR 23 or a bag of chips. To the ad exec, it is completely irrelevant. So, the whole 'thought they were getting away from sex' confusion is...confusing.

I am no more moved by this than I am Chester Cheetah. Ok, Chester has more style, but Lara is more aesthetically apealling...

B. Biggest lie every: "Like dude, I can talk for hours and hours and hours about bloom effect and how it makes me feel so alive, but *yawn* I have no interest in a butt that is digital." Get over yourselves. Proclaiming asexuality doesn't make you any better than the guy drooling over the image. I find water spray from bullets just as impressive as mamary that reacts to physics. Don't quite get why people go SO out of there way to say they don't care. Much like how my son screams in defiance everytime we mention that he has a crush on the girl that we all know he has a crush on...screaming it loud and often ain't foolin nobody but yourself.

C. If you think anything in any game is any less "real" than what you see in a copy of Playboy, then someone please, slap him and wake him up.

What are you talking about? That's perfectly believable. lol

You people seriously need to get your heads out of the gutter. The teaser has nothing to do with her ass and everything to do with the fact that that the Tomb Raider series is under new management. Thus the tagline "Seeing is Believing", which is in reference to... the GAME, which appears to be vastly improved. Jeez.

I saw this ad in EGM and it bugs me every time I see it. The image of Lara is actually skewed to the right in every variation of this ad. It looks like they hired an artist to draw Lara and decided they didn't make her ass big enough and stretched it out in photoshop. It's easy to see if you look at the grenades on her belt. They're definitely skewed. So apparently her rear was not "bootylicious" enough in the original artist's rendition.

For anyone that doesn't get it, to the more mainstream audience that made the Tomb Raider series enough of a hit to spawn two movie spin offs, Lara Croft is Tomb Raider. I'd bet that more people know who Lara Croft is, than what game she's in.

Advertising for a Tomb Raider game is always going to center around Lara. Let's not forget though, that Lara was popular with the girls as well as the boys. Probably just an accident yes, but just as the Spice Girls tarted themselves up in skimpy outfits that the boys oggled while girls cheered them on for their 'Girl Power!' catchphrase, Lara achieves something similar.

She's an attractive woman that is physically and intellectually powerful. She's a go getter who takes matters into her own hands, and as such, doesn't just appeal to men. Very few video game characters, male or female, are ugly, and selling this game on Lara's looks are just a safe move meant to echo early Tomb Raider advertising, albeit with a focus on the more remote and beautiful locations than the darker and more urban ones of before.

It's not a particularly interesting ad then, as it just sticks to form, but it's certainly not a controversial one by any means and Lara is far from just being a pin up for geeks to get off on.

The rear is nice, but I want that backpack.

I really wouldn't classify her poxterior as a "badonka-donk"... that's a word more suitable for Beyonce Knowles' fine ass. Everyone knows Lara Croft is better known for her bountiful bosom.

As far as the game goes, I'm not interested. I'd take Prince of Persia over Tomb Raider any day.

I'd hit it.

@ #8 Robert

Who likes short shorts?!
"I like short shorts!"

:)

Sorry, just had to do that

*he starts dancing to the beat of sir mix-a-lot's 'baby got back'*

The botty aint big at all. Anyways I like the ad.

It works very well as what it is: a teaser ad. You instantly know it's Tomb Raider, and now you know there's a new Lara game coming out. It succeeds as planned. Nice booty, too.

Big bottom girls make the rockin' world go round.

There's two messages for two different groups in the ad. Lara is obviously made to have sex appeal, it was that way from the beginning. The more obvious part of the art caters to the Lara fans on her looks. The "Seeing is believing" is less obvious. It might be a reference to something in the game, but I'm guessing it's a reference to the series' downhill spiral. They're saying: "Yeah, we know the series went bad and Angel of Darkness almost killed it off. But now we know we have a great Tomb Raider game. Just try it out, you'll see the game is really good. Seeing is believing."

That "seeing is believing" tagline will go down as one of the cheesiest taglines in history. Together with "nothing...can....prepare you".

As far as the ass goes, yeah, it's quite evident that they concentrate on the "sex appeal" of little Lara. I thought we were past that in this day and age. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against sexual content in games as part of an artistic expression, but what is the game about? Raiding tombs and ruins, or watching Laras tits and ass bounce?

Hey, I'm an ass-man myself, so this game is worth downloading.

The only thing this ad makes me want to do is turn the page. Maybe the line "seeing is believing" could work if something Lara were looking at something obstructed from our view. At least it should be more than here standing there looking over trees. That tells me nothing.

I have to disagree with you #48 (HEPCECOB, if that really is your name). If sex is all you need to sell a game, then how come The Guy Game plummeted through the atmosphere like the Perseids?

'Lara Croft's butt is huge." I know ;-)

"If memory serves, buttock cleavage, in the standing position, doesn't part the individual buttocks completely from start to finish as the fabric's texture indicates. Also, the width of her left thigh at the gun strap matches the width of her waist at its skinniest. I doubt even Playboy could compete with those cartoony contortions." Gary. You're my idol.

And who complained about lower back tatts? They're so hot!

when i see this add i'm hit with the sudden feeling of nothing changing and i'm still in middleschool playing a fun but kiddy game like pokemon but friend oogles the umpteenth iteration of this stupid game. now i've outgrown pokemon but i still see crap like this.

EH? Are you people referring to the add above???
If so, what the hell kind of crack are you smoking??? Where's this large posterior? If anything, she has a very plain butt - not even very feminin. All I see is a typical camera angle shot you'd see in the game overlooking a forest from a very high place(as we know she likes to do a lot of climbing). It's a very plain, boring add. Something with her leaping through the air doing a sideways cartwheel while shooting (with some enormous explosions behind her) and perhaps some tomb-like backdrop - maybe some giant spikey ball rolling down a cliff - that would have been much more exciting. .. Besides which, her butt is too manly to be interesting anyway... Oh well. Maybe next time...