Something missing at GenCon this year?

[CarlZog]

Swag may have been down, but there were definitely a lot of good deals. Unfortunately, a lot of the deals represented companies dumping unsold stock -- another indication of the decline in the industry.

As for booth babes, a similar thread on the GenCon boards was filled with posters lauding the "cleaning up" of the Con, which suggests the decline is attributable to the changing demographics of the hobby. A quarter of the attendees are now women, according to GenCon, and there are enough families to justify a children's play room. This industry isn't just selling to horny 20-year-old guys anymore and I think a lot of companies know that hiring some model to hang out in front of your table can turn off as many people as it may bring in. As someone else mentioned, it also kinda reeks of desperation marketing. It just isn't worth the cost anymore. Add that to business being down anyway, and booth babes are pretty hard to justify.

Carl

 

[shadowlight]

2) And more importantly... I didn't see a single 'booth babe', nor have I seen any threads with booth babe pictures like we've seen in past years.

All I can say is THANK HEAVENS!!!

I have trouble enough having to "justify" gaming as a mature hobby without nonsense like booth babes.

 

[Iceman]

AEG was pretty good with the swag, esp. in the actual card-playing area. I walked away with a foil set of cards from one of last year's expansions, half-a-dozen (more recent) booster packs, and a t-shirt.

Also walked away with four D&D hardcovers and a couple promo minis (okay, this was for slaving for the rpga all weekend), the Order of the Stick 'backstory' softcover, and a handful of other 'cheap' items.
Oh, and a matted Ruth Thompson print - but her and her husband are close friends.

I only noticed one 'booth babe' but I didn't spend much time in the exhibit hall really.
She was at the Sovereign Press booth on Thursday, in a costume reminiscent of Inara - they were in the process of selling out of the new Serenity rpg. She looked familiar, though, so she might just be a good-looking employee.

-VIC

 

[Rel]

It just isn't worth the cost anymore. Add that to business being down anyway, and booth babes are pretty hard to justify.

Carl

What is to become of all these unemployed young women who have spent lo' these many years trading on their looks?! This could turn into a tragedy of Lilliputian proportions!

 

[CarlZog]

What is to become of all these unemployed young women who have spent lo' these many years trading on their looks?! This could turn into a tragedy of Lilliputian proportions!

I hear the Red Garter is hiring.

 

[francisca]

Swag may have been down, but there were definitely a lot of good deals. Unfortunately, a lot of the deals represented companies dumping unsold stock -- another indication of the decline in the industry.

As for booth babes, a similar thread on the GenCon boards was filled with posters lauding the "cleaning up" of the Con, which suggests the decline is attributable to the changing demographics of the hobby. A quarter of the attendees are now women, according to GenCon, and there are enough families to justify a children's play room. This industry isn't just selling to horny 20-year-old guys anymore and I think a lot of companies know that hiring some model to hang out in front of your table can turn off as many people as it may bring in. As someone else mentioned, it also kinda reeks of desperation marketing. It just isn't worth the cost anymore. Add that to business being down anyway, and booth babes are pretty hard to justify.

Carl

CarlZog, you are my "IntraWWWeb Hero of teh Day".

 

[Hand of Evil]

Swag may have been down, but there were definitely a lot of good deals. Unfortunately, a lot of the deals represented companies dumping unsold stock -- another indication of the decline in the industry.

As for booth babes, a similar thread on the GenCon boards was filled with posters lauding the "cleaning up" of the Con, which suggests the decline is attributable to the changing demographics of the hobby. A quarter of the attendees are now women, according to GenCon, and there are enough families to justify a children's play room. This industry isn't just selling to horny 20-year-old guys anymore and I think a lot of companies know that hiring some model to hang out in front of your table can turn off as many people as it may bring in. As someone else mentioned, it also kinda reeks of desperation marketing. It just isn't worth the cost anymore. Add that to business being down anyway, and booth babes are pretty hard to justify.

Carl

That and maybe the pornstar flack of GENCON West in 2004

 

[Voadam]

That and maybe the pornstar flack of GENCON West in 2004

I hadn't heard anything about this, anybody got a link to an old thread about it? I remember reading that Traci Lords was going to be at a con as a guest because of her work in one of the blade movies. Was it a flap over that?

 

[Desdichado]

I hadn't heard anything about this, anybody got a link to an old thread about it? I remember reading that Traci Lords was going to be at a con as a guest because of her work in one of the blade movies. Was it a flap over that?

No, but there was a lot of fwap over it.

Cha-ching! Thank you, thank you. Be sure and try the veal.

 

[Rel]

No, but there was a lot of fwap over it.

Cha-ching! Thank you, thank you. Be sure and try the veal.

Joshua, do I need to get the genital cuff?