D&D is now in (exceedingly awesome) commercial form

[Keefe the Thief]

Horrible.

Mistwell, thanks for the attempted clarification.

I am shocked that that is considered a "real marketing decision based on real marketing research." Regardless of reusing some 20 year old cover art, it still looks like some 80's music video (exceptionally poor by today's standards but would be "really cool" for the time).

As for what the "effect" nostaliga has on me being different from other people, I cannot say. I like nostalgia. I get nostalgic. I recognized all (or practically all) of the art used in the "video-turned-ad." Probably still have most of the source material floating around in an attic somewhere. "What's this with the Githyanki image from FF?" was my first thought when I saw the screen...and how I was looking forward to something "extremely awesome." That just wasn't it.

Still, speaking as someone who could be counted among that "extraordinary number" of lapsed 1e players, seeing that display would neither entice me to buy it for myself nor to share with my kids (if I had any).

Sure, if it does for other people then yes, objectively speaking, that would be "good for the hobby." But having a bit of marketing and advertising experience myself, as well as some graphics experience, THAT was not worth what WotC paid for it (to be banking on "nostalgia"), research or no.

Just my humble opinion. If you enjoy it, enjoy it. But for me, not so much.
--SD

You saw it and talked about it. That's already pretty good in marketing.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

The nostalgia is there to get in old players, the awesome factor to get in new players (And yes, it is awesome in a way that kids can understand).

Which is, you know, pretty much the purpose of Red Box and Essentials.

 

[Mistwell]

Still, speaking as someone who could be counted among that "extraordinary number" of lapsed 1e players, seeing that display would neither entice me to buy it for myself nor to share with my kids (if I had any).

I think we're talking past each other. When I said lapsed 1e players, I meant people who lapsed from all RPGs, and have not come back to RPGs since they left. I don't think you're one of them (why would you be at this message board if you were).

This ad is targeting people who played D&D roughly from 1975-1985 and then entirely left the hobby of RPGs. That's also the era that is approximately when D&D peaked in terms of total number of players. I think those people will be reminded of a fond memory that they had forgotten about until now. And the trigger of that ad will be enough for some of them to want to buy it for themselves and their kids.

It's sort of like the ads for Star Wars before the re-release of the original trilogy into theaters. People were anticipating it in droves because they had not seen it in the theaters for 30 years (not because of changes Lucas made to the films). No changes needed to be made to the original Star Wars ads from the 70s to make people want to go see it again for the re-release.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Lets not forget that there is shared and false nostalgia - people get nostalgic for things they never actually experienced.

Certainly it would seem that this is made for 1e fans, people who enjoyed the first Fiend Folio, but I would counter that 2e players, or even players that came in with third edition would still feel nostalgic for it, regardless of if they had or hadn't ever played with the original Fiend Folio. Even people who just came into D&D could look at that commercial and go "Yeah that's totally awesome" based purely on it being based in something "old school."

Old things in a hobby appeal to people in that hobby, no matter when they joined, if they did or didn't experience it, or even if they really ever like it in the first place. Someone who plays Xbox 360 all the time will speak enthusiastically about Atari games despite never wanting to play them.

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

Awesome.

 

[smetzger]

Mistwell, thanks for the attempted clarification.

I am shocked that that is considered a "real marketing decision based on real marketing research." Regardless of reusing some 20 year old cover art, it still looks like some 80's music video (exceptionally poor by today's standards but would be "really cool" for the time).

eh, I think this is their attempt at viral marketing.
I seriously doub't we'll se this add anywhere but youtube.

Who knows what they were thinking.

But it would be fun to go through the long version and figure out where each of the artwork's were snagged from.

 

[TerraDave]

Thousands and thousands of those guys.

No. Millions of those guys.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

eh, I think this is their attempt at viral marketing.
I seriously doub't we'll se this add anywhere but youtube.

Who knows what they were thinking.

But it would be fun to go through the long version and figure out where each of the artwork's were snagged from.

Hulu commercial, actually, I think

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

No. Millions of those guys.

If not tens of hundred thousands! The numbers boggle my mind!

I started playing with D&D 3E and even I can feel a nostalgia for this old sh...tuff I've never played and have no intention of ever playing. (Unless diaglo invites me to a game during GenCon or something).

 

[kiznit]

Brilliant! And very, very clever.

WotC has finally figured out how to sell the "feel" of starter D&D and is really capitalizing on its existing cultural space.

I strongly hope that this is the start of the pendulum swinging back.