Boobage Adverts
 

Wow... I know that the old 'sex sells' philosophy is nothing new to the world of advertising... But has anybody else noticed rather a large increase in cleavage in banner ads, just lately? "Evony Online", for example. The new [CGI] model is more human than the last (I think they had some kind of elf in a white, more periodic dress) and certainly seems to draw the eye to her breast than the old one.

And then this company... I understand a lot of ads can be regional on web pages, depending on where the PC is, so if this is the case for this example many of you won't have seen this ad. It's basically a company that says they will get you refunds if you've been charged too much for loans (presumably on the interest). I've only noticed this one today (because they're so numerous as well as the boobs) but why would you need to have models in bikinis/lingerie to sell a financial service?

I wouldn't say these ads make me feel uncomfortable, though I do try to avoid this type of imagery... but I think I might be confounded.

I agree that the Evony ads are annoying and a bit tasteless - and it's not just here I see them. (Haven't seen the other ads you mention.) But on the bright side, at least the days of pop-up ads are gone. (I don't think they ever were on this site, but do you remember some of the crappier free webhosts of a couple of years ago?)

And now I'm about to derail your thread slightly… Are you sure the model is CGI? I thought it was a photo.

Oh, I just saw this link posted by Squinky here. Apparently, they are even worse than I thought.

I demand equality! I want to see some cute guys in revealing bicycle pants in ads! Fair is fair! ;)

Well, I gather there are some amateur and semi professional game devs and even independent ones (and inconspicuous devs who work for comparatively large companies) here... Why can't one of them promote their games with ads showing men and their large lunchboxes?

Like this? ;)
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...3/lunchbox.jpg

I clicked on this link, and I didn't see any of that. Maybe they got complaints and changed it. There are a couple of small pictures of women, but nothing sexy or scantily-clad.

I disagree completely. I love these kinds of ads, and I think EVERYTHING should be sold this way, from children's books to diet soda to hemorrhoid cream.

I was saying the ads for that site had pictures of busty women in either bras or small bikini tops. I didn't mean to imply that the site they are advertising had pictures of them or that they had anything to do with that particular business. Sure, if that's what does it for you.
[EDIT] Nice costume. From the new 'Holmes' film?

I'm a woman, and these ads that appear at the top of this website, at least, don't bother me. Scantily clothed maidens are just another part of the "mood" of the game, to me. It puts me "in the mood" (not like that) of medieval fighting, farms with surfs, etc.

No, not really, but it's a man with a large lunchbox. http://www.easyfreesmileys.com/smile...mileys-698.gif

Unnecessary Boobs Lunchbox is British slang for a man's.... Errr... It's actually a web based RTS, at least from what I gather. There are few or no maidens in the game, fully clothed or semi naked. Wouldn't the game be better represented by a castle or something?
This is the previous 'model' (is that applicable in the case of CGI models?). More appropriate than the current model in terms of outfit, dress and... species... Still, You're right; there's nothing wrong with having an elf in a medieval regal frock. But why have it unbuttoned? It's because the game isn't apparently selling under its own merit and sex sells.

This one is apparently the one that came after. Wouldn't have remembered this without Trumgottist linking a page that, apparently, Squinky once linked.

It doesn't even hint at the type of site its advertising. And it could just as easily have kinky connotations.

This one was a banner from the Adventure Gamers' forums. There's nothing medieval or elfish or otherwise mystical about her.

I haven't played this game and I really don't foresee myself doing so, either, but I'm sure if the game was good enough they wouldn't need to resort to selling the game this way; they'd have reviews in magazines and popular gaming sites all over the web.

I know....

Actually it's a regular sized lunchbox.


- :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

Really? The type of clothing and earrings I see on her give me the medieval vibe, like a surf, etc. Even if it isn't in the game, it "sets the mood". And of course, it's trying to sell games to horny geeks. ;)

Precisely.

I misread that initially as 'like a smurf' :)

What? I heard my name.

I find I just ignore the ads. They clearly aren't addressed to me. However, if someone starts a petition or some initiative to hurt Civony/Evony's bottom line, I'll support it (within reason). I think what they're doing hurts our community, and they should be made to correct their mistake.

Sadly, what they're doing is really just the inevitable conclusion to where video game advertising has been going for a number of years now, particularly in RPGs, but in some AGs as well. These new guys are just crass enough to completely abandon any pretense of fanciful representation of their game's content, and go straight for the chest shot. Meh.

I'm not exactly bothered by it, it's just that on the day I started this thread I'd had a rather large number of tit-heavy adds. I mean a lot more than you'd expect when they're supposed to be random.

Admittedly this one wasn't cropping up as much as the other one (I'll take a screenie when I see it again). Well the earrings might be medieval, i'm not a jewellery expert. I'm not really a clothing expert, either, but the dress she's wearing looks like a fairly contemporary evening dress, to me, and she appears to have a frilly bra beneath it which I wouldn't have expected to find on a princess from the time before records.

The bit about selling the game to horny geeks I completely understand, though. I just think that there's a better way to market these things without having to resort to the lowest common denominator. I was going to point out it seemed like a normal sized lunchbox myself but it then occurred to me that, having never seen Mr. Downey in person, that he could be a giant and the box in his hand simply happens to be well proportioned.

I like boobs in my ads. Can we have more of those?