Gamer product marketing gone bad

by Conrad Quilty-Harper on Jun 15th 2006 5:55PM

Look very, very carefully at this marketing shot of AK Designs' AK Rocker 100 gamer chair. See anything that tickles your gaming funny bone?

Can't see what's funny about it? Check out the kid holding an N64 controller (if they're all looking at the same TV, how can they be using two Xbox controllers with an N64 pad?) and the older guy holding the Xbox controller... backwards. Sigh.

[Thanks, Karthik]

Source

Tags: AK, AK Designs, AkDesigns, Controller, Gamepad, Gaming, idiot gamers, IdiotGamers, Marketing, marketing shot, MarketingShot, N64, Photo shoot, PhotoShoot, Stupid, Turn the controller around, TurnTheControllerAround, Xbox

Reader Comments (63)

Truly hilarious! Nice find.

It appears as if the boy on the right is playing with an N64 controller, the man with a 3rd party PS2 controller, and the women with a black Dreamcast controller!

SEGA SWIRL

dreamcast.ign.com Lives!!

HaHA Thats hilarious

"Look at me! I am Platying!"

I see it! There's an attractive woman in it! We all know there are no attractive female gamers!

(Joke, by the way)

I wonder what super system that is that they can play an Xbox, PS2 and N64 game on all at the same time though?

I tried that once.

Things caught on fire.

Nintendo's system after Wii, probably.

the guy has the controller backward.

I guess I jumped the gun because I so desperately want the Dreamcast back in my life.

I just saw this box at Circuit City on Tuesday and I just about fell over laughing. That is a real picture on an actual product!
Idiots
Although the chair probably wouldn't be half bad

The guy holding the controller backwards is a nice touch.

Didn't you know? Anyone over 22 is absolutely retarded when it comes to video games. Parents even moreso.

I can't find a sarcastic way to explain away the N64 controller, however.

The expression on the guy in the middle's face is priceless!

"I'll still beat you with my controller upsidedown and plugged into your N64 punk ass bitch!"

I know, I know! White socks with brown shoes! ;)

I dont get why its so hard for someone on set to see that this makes no sense. Just like those Westwood College commercials where the two guys are "tighening up the graphics" and one guy is just moving the analog sticks around radomly.

Whats so hard about just checking to make sure things arent blatantly incorrect. It not hard to find a hardcore gamer who would easily be able to tell a crew that this is just not right. Are the people who make these things THAT out of touch? It amazes me how no one seems to catch these things, have the models never seen a xbox display in walmart?

Even though its marketed as a "rocker", the two people on the right are still hunched over like Andy Serkis in a gorilla suit. Seems more like an ad for www.scolibrace.com.

just like my dad, he doesnt know how to use the controler....its backwards:)

Hey, be nice!

Following a tragic TiddlyWinks accident the guy suffered a brain injury that reversed the mapping of his body to his brain. The fact that he can again play video games is a near miracle, even if he needs to hold the controller backwards.

You should have seen what happened when he tried to go back to work as a semi-rig driver!

I bet the middle guy is winning too. :P

Apperently the guy in the middle heard the xbox was backwards compatable.

That schmuck with the backwards controller should go on tour with him just doing that.

Haha, gwangi wins.

"Apperently the guy in the middle heard the xbox was backwards compatable."

GENIUS!

Oh c'mon. Talk about NON-NEWS. So what if in the photoshoot they ran out of controllers. They're trying to sell the chairs not the controllers or game system. No need to get your gamer panties in a bunch.

4.
"I see it! There's an attractive woman in it!"

Attractive?!? Her front choppers could chew through an amazon rain forest. Maybe you are one of the "retarded people" over age 22 that #10 was referring to.

I've seen people who hold the controller backwards. No big whoop there.

But the three different console controllers is a bit weird.

Try following the link - there's a great picture of a mom reading a story to a little girl on her lap...in the gaming chair. Yeah right. Not only can't they market to gamers, but they're really stretching it with the Better Homes and Gardens crowd!

this reminds of the 40 year old virgin movie, there was a scene where they are playing mortal kombat deception, and one guy has an n64 controller, and the other has a some kind of third party controller of who knows what.... anyway, this kind of thing is distracting.

"I wonder what super system that is that they can play an Xbox, PS2 and N64 game on all at the same time though?"

my PC. this picture was taken at my house. shortly after, all three of the models started making out with each other. that's right.

Clearly, these chairs appeal to the entire gamut of gamers from weathered pros like the relaxed kid on the left to the... uh, shall we say "challenged" player in the middle.

And #4, that "attractive woman" can't be any older than 14. I hope you're very young, because the alternative is you're very sick.

With misinformed individuals such as this guy:

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/hot-coffee/msm-still-doesnt-get-hot-coffee-180676.php

Color me unsurprised.

Those chairs suck. I know. I bought one. Maybe close to a year ago cause I kept having friends over for Mario/Kart/Tennis matches. Now, they do have foam ones now, so those are probably better, but please - pass on this POS plastic.

In Colarado, the Supreme Court Just ruled you can get married at 12(if your a chick) guys have to wait to 14, as they say, the youngest cherries are the sweetest!!!

I actually just bought that chair for my dad for a father's day gift. I didn't notice the controller mix up, but now that I see it, it's getting cut out of the box. That stupid father with the grin on his face is an emarrassment to my dad's l33t gaming skillz.

I actually played Xbox games with my DC controller, actually, with a converter. I don't remember why.

The controller in the middle (the backwards one) doesn't look like a PS2 controller. It looks like an Xbox controller. I don't see why people are saying anything about a PS2 controller when there isn't one.

...and incidentally, the guy in the middle is an idiot. Did he ever think to ask somebody how to hold the thing?

holy cow i just bought one of those at best buy a few months ago, and while i was waiting in line i noticed that.

that's sweet you guys noticed it too.

"...and incidentally, the guy in the middle is an idiot. Did he ever think to ask somebody how to hold the thing?"

I can only think the photoshoot went like this...

Middle Guy: Wow. This is the first time I've actually seen these X-Game-Station thingamajigs. Which button makes the game tape go?

Girl: If you don't want the wotrst hand-cramp ever, you hold it like this.

Middle: Yeah, I'm sure. Like girls play games.

Girl: ...You know what, you are holding it the right way. I guess I'm just stupid.

Kid: Why in God's green earth am I holding an N64 controller?

Cameraman: No time for questions or common sense, people. In case you couldn't tell, these things are made of PLASTIC. WE NEED MONEY NOW.

the grinning guy in the middle has obviusly played too much of his NES (square controllers)

OMG missing picture from the gallery! :

http://i5.tinypic.com/14jyex3.jpg

I find it hilarious these people are remarkably clean.

To #5

Don't you mean CAD tried it in the comic strip? Jesus you people live in fantasy land.

On another note, this is hilarious. I will also refrain from comments about "special people". But seriously, can you see what I'm talking about? Also who dresses like that when they game?

You know what I can't help it, just a little bit. That guy obviously bought that shirt just for his debut as a "TeyyyVey staaaarrrr", straight off the rack. "Gonna pick up this hear fine technomalogical doodad n play me some vidao games then wrap my teeth outside my lower lip and grin like a retard while holding my controller backwards." Seriously, where did they get these people?

Regardless Ctrl-alt-del rules, and obvioulsy enough to rule #5's life into thinking he is actually living the comic strip.

Ahh if only I could pull that off,
Anticrawl

I used to play with ALL my controllers backwards, when I was young. Still kicked ass with em' too. XP Dunno why I did, now. And yes, that includes the N64 controller - though, it's analog douchebaggery of the time broke me of my bad gaming habit.

Anywho, I can see how this commercial was thrown together.
----
Director: RAHR RAHR... rahr! Hey! u! old dude!

Middle-Aged Man: ..What?

Director: go 2 my 1337 set plz. U! KID! u 2. HEY, STUPID BIATCH u 2.
---
Director: Kay. so, u peeps need to smile and act liek ur having FUUUUN! heres ur controllers. [Hands the woman a black Dreamcast controller, the middle-aged man a backwards, 3rd party pelican XBox controller, and the boy, an N64 controller.] hav FUUUUN!

Middle-Aged Man: ...hey! these "games" are kickass! liek omfg! shiney lights!

Kid: [Grinning.] This is retarded, none of our controllers are plugged in, and Carlos Mencia is on the TV.

Crazy Biatch: Gnaw~ Gnaw~ My t33th r GIGANTIC! i pwn u noobs up up down down left right left right b a sta-

Director: Aaaaaand.. cut! You've all been great, walk out in front of a truck now.
--------

Omi, would that director happen to be Sal Manella from Phoenix Wright: The l33tness of his speech makes me think so...

has anyone mentioned that if the guy in the middle is holding a Dreamcast controller, that's the direction the cord would be coming out?

Sorry, somedork. But that isn't true. That's DEFINITELY not a a Dreamcast controller, even if the wire is coming out of the end closest to the guy. There's no slots on that thing for VMUs or Jump Packs to plug into!

Plus, if you examine the wire closely, you'll see it has the detachable plug the Xbox controller does.

I work at Circuit City and we've been selling these for about a year, I also think I'm the only one who has noticed it at our store, though. Everytime we get more in I laugh.

The one girl on the left is the only one playing and just gave controllers to the other two and told them they were playing. It's the fun of multi-player, except your playing by yourself!

I think those chairs work with multiple systems, so they might have done this on purpose so more people would recognize the controllers no matter which system they use. I think that's giving this company too much credit though, cause they def needed a PS2 controller in there considering the popularity. Instead it's just 2 types of xbox controllers(black controller S and a red 3rd party one) and 1 n64.

Ah, the things that hopeless marketing bods miss -
I remember as a kid nearly losing the plot when i had a book called the "History of the Twentieth Century" which had a picture of a MegaDrive1 with Sonic 1 in it, and on the screen of the TV next to it was the Sonic 2 half-pipe bonus level.

Also, in the Argos catalogue, there was a picture of a kid playing what on the screen was actually a pre rendered MarioKart64 photo (one of the high-resolution box art shots) and the kid was holding the controller with his left hand on far left hand side by the d-pad - which was disabled in MarioKart64.

Call me pedantic but little things like that make me spit blood

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Gamer product marketing gone bad

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