Obama Targets The Online Gamers
1:49pm UK, Tuesday October 14, 2008
Online gamers are being targeted by US election hopeful Barack Obama in a world-first for political campaigns.
Obama ads have appeared in the Burnout Paradise game
The Democrat presidential candidate has bought advertising space inside the popular Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation game Burnout Paradise.
Gamers are greeted by billboards featuring the candidate and his website address as they speed round the racetrack
Senator Obama's campaign has been prolific on Facebook and YouTube but this is believed to be the first time a political candidate has targeted online games.
"Gaming replicates an extremely interactive environment, and the Xbox vote is an important segment of the electorate - if they vote, that is," political web strategist Jag Singh told Sky News Online.
"The way it works is that all these Xboxes are hooked up to the web, and the content providers are easily able to target these machines based on a whole range of criteria."
This includes the age of the person who purchased (and registered) the console, gender and the type of games they play.
Obama looks to the future
Geographic location - which makes it possible to have a message such as 'don't forget to vote; head on down a couple of blocks to ABC street to collect your forms' - is also noted.
"During the 2004 election, the Generation Y vote's turnout was slightly disappointing, and I reckon Obama's strategists dont want to leave any stone unturned," Mr Singh said.
However, the move may surprise some supporters as earlier this year Senator Obama called on parents to "turn off the television set and put the video games away" to improve their children's lives.
Approximately one in three households in the US own a games console like a Nintendo Wii or PlayStation.
Holly Rockwood, Electronic Arts' director of corporate communications confirmed Obama's team has paid for in-game adspace.
"Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates," she said.
"Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams."
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i'll refrain from political talk and just say....wow. xD
