did they make rooney's teeth straight on the wii cover?

Nah, it's just that the 360 boxart is in HD :B

lol

I am using it to mean not complex, not busy. A simpler boxart has the least going on, as such something like http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/02/ff12rwboxart.jpg is very simple.

The way in which the Wii arts are "clear" is that they show context. The 360 versions are stylistic, and portray what you said above in their style. Those messages appeal to young males particularly. Showing context isn't particularly targeting children, on the other hand. A kid doesn't need context to know that FIFA = Football any more than anyone else, probably less so than the average customer. EA have decided to show context (essentially reinforcing the point that this is a football game), maybe to attract more people who buy gifts for others or to attract buyers who wouldn't normally buy FIFA.

You are talking about minimalism, not simplicity. Minimal art has less going on. That FF picture is minimalist.

But yes, I already said that we should wordfilter my use of "simple" to "clear" or "straightforward".

And yes, kids like straightforward things.

Plus: What is the point of making the characters less detailed and smooth (ie no veins, bulging muscles)? I am pretty sure the boxart is to get kids interested, not to tell parents what the game is, although I'm sure part of it is to do that as well. The art style targets kids and the context targets those who might only have a passing understanding of what it is.

Not any more than anyone else. Straightforward is always the best way to go with marketing. Both arts are straightforward, one is doing it showing context, the other using style. Neither takes a 'round about' way to convey a message (the opposite of straightforward), rather they show a slightly different message.

Seriously, if it's to get kids to buy it, why is it also done with Tiger Woods? Golf is a game that mostly appeals to (relatively wealthy) middle aged men, not kids. It doesn't make much sense to market Tiger Woods on Wii towards children.

Not true. The best advertisement sells emotions not the product itself. Like I said before, look at the sports covers on the 360. Each one conveys a specific emotion: Grace, intensity, and persistance.

Tiger Woods is highly respected among kids, and golf is very much a youth sport now as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Woods-Biography-Libby-Hughes/dp/1585710032

and look at the kids choice awards:

http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/tiger-woods-bio.jhtml

• 2008, Nominated for Favorite Male Athlete
• 2007, Nominated for Favorite Male Athlete
• 2004, Nominated for Favorite Male Athlete
• 1999, Nominated for Favorite Male Athlete
• 1998, Nominated for Favorite Male Athlete

I'm not sure where to go with this. On one hand, you write intelligently, but on the other hand it seems like you're out of touch. However, I refuse to believe the latter and I think that you are deliberately turning a blind eye in order to pursue some other motive.

If you are trying to pursue the conclusion that I'm trolling the wii by saying it's childish, then put yourself at ease. I am not.

In any case, the argument could be made that those covers are simply trying to more accurately portray the quality of the game itself, which, according to EA, "is better suited to the demographic", which according to nielsen, is "made up mostly by boys 6-11 and women 27-34".

Not true?

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/108393

Who's out of touch? This is not an obscure fact!

I have no problem with the Wii targeting kids more than the other consoles. However this is not boxart designed to appeal specifically to kids. The real difference is that they shows context clearly, the backgrounds say "this is a golf game", "this is a football game". In other words they're making sure that someone who doesn't immediately recognise that FIFA = soccer and Tiger Woods = golf isn't going to overlook the game. Perhaps they have market research that shows Wii games more likely to be bought as gifts, or perhaps they want to be able to appeal to a broader demographic than they have in general, including people who may not have enough of an interest to associate Tiger Woods with golf upon a glance.

I suspect that the overlap for the traditional golf demographic and the HD consoles is not very large, and they would have sold to the younger side of that demographic. The older side are the ones who are unlikely to have bought a HD console, but might play a Wii game of golf as it's much closer to actual golf. In other words they may not be the usual buyers of the brand. Which should you use to appeal to someone like this?

And let's not be under the illusion that the Wii demographics are narrow:

http://www.wiitalk.co.uk/forums/general-wii-discussion/14866-demographics.html

Like interest in golf, the Wii is more likely to be found in wealthier families and more likely to be played by college graduates. The Wii also has just as great a percentage of the 35+ as the other consoles, more than the 360 in fact and roughly equal to them in combination in real numbers. It's also still 48% male.

Everyone knows who tiger woods is.

You don't have to know anything about golf to know he's one of the greatest athletes of our time.