Read this on the Penny-Arcade front page. It was sent in by someone who had seen their recent comic regarding people paid by PR firms to go to forums to hype games.
Quote:
Hey guys,
I interviewed for a guerilla marketing business in San Francisco that targeted web forums.
I was told that if I accepted the job, I was to have at LEAST 50 identities on as many forums as I could muster (they wanted 100 eventually), with a goal of 5 posts an hour. The posts had to be well thought out, and the idea was that I was to establish multiple identities with a history on the forums, so that when the timing was right a well written but subtly placed marketing post could be finessed in. And regular visitors would recognize the post as coming from a long time poster.
They had 12 people working there full time, and were hiring 10 more. You do the math. No wait, I'll do it for you: that's 880 posts a day (if minimum was met). However he said the better ones could do around 8 or 10 an hour. And they had different "verticals" so there was the sports guy, and the games guy, the hentai, excuse me I mean anime guy, etc.
But the most critical point was this: develop and integrate the identity. No random "HEY EB GAMES IS AWESOME BUY THIS" stuff.
Kinda spooky.
This is spooky, but what's even more spooky is that this could be one of the most brilliant and well-thought out ways of exploiting the internet that I've ever seen. They've relized that people who come to forums posting things that even resemble spam or adverts or are overly enthusiastic about something are quickly eaten. So they create identities and personas and slowly infiltrate forums creating the guise of being an interested fan while slowly propping up the product they're paid to promote.
Does stuff like this really have an effect in the bottom line? And is there really any way to tell the difference between a dedicated forumer and a paid marketeer?
In the long run, I really don't think it matters over much, but for people who post a lot in internet forums it really gives you pause for a moment.
Damnit, I've been found out. Now, to exit!
*vanishes in a puff of smoke*
How hilariously hopeless. Anyone that listens to what anyone says on the internet has no money because they live in their parent's basement.
NO ONE is INNOCENT.
This is scary because I get almost all of my opinions over what games to buy from this forum o.o
Buy Ace Combat Five. Do it.
Well I have to admit It doesnt surprise me. SMOKE! Not one bit. SMOKE! I mean if people are going to pay people to infiltrate message boards and sell their stuff they will do it. ARE YOU SMOKING YET?
That's brilliant! So there's sleeper agents on every forum eh? I think there should be a new Terms of Agreement for forums that ask "You agree that you are not here to establish an identity for the company you work at and wait for the right time to market your shiz"
I sure wouldn't assume anybody here is blatantly advertising Burger King. 
We could make a movie about this. A forum marketer who came to the MoFo to advertise games, but fell in love with the place. She couldn't bear to deceive the forum she had become a part of... It would be like some kind of romantic comedy.
I do agree that this is the most unique and brilliant use of the internet community I've yet to see! And personally, I think it's a good thing, as presumably, to be beleivable, they would have to back up their product with reasons for liking it, so it's like, informative advertising...unless they blatently lie.
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We could make a movie about this. A forum marketer who came to the MoFo to advertise games, but fell in love with the place. She couldn't bear to deceive the forum she had become a part of... It would be like some kind of romantic comedy.
That's an awsome idea! XD
As they embraced under the neon lights of the burger king sign, the forumites new nothing could stop their love now...or, at least almost nothing.
"Stop, my beloved, I..we cannot go on like this, I'm living a lie.."
"What do you mean Harley my dearest?"
"I've been subtly plugging sex and corruption ever since I got here...I..I get paid for it.."
"DOOOOOOOOO NOOOOOOOOT WAAAAAAAAAANNT!"
"guiness is great buy"
lol u so clever crimmy
Also I agree with the film idea. I can just imagine the rave reviews!
"FOUR STARS!" - Publisher's Weekly
"I was on the edge of my seat!" - New York Times
"What the hell is the MoFo? Is that a black joke?" - Roger Ebert
Sign me up! I'll have me some of that, getting paid to do the one thing I spend 18 hours a day doing anyway?! Sod morality!
*Eyes Jimro as #1 suspect of this ploy*
Whatever you say, Craig McCarthy 
I say we ban everyone just to be safe.
i think that's what someone was doing over in the star alliance. we banned 4-5 different usernames who were all posting the same basic scam spam.. but saying it in diffrent ways when they moved to other ezboard forums.
we're hoping ezboard takes notice that it's all coming from the same IP.
heh, i think i know of a few over on the keenspot forums too. 😛 they're forever trying to sneekily plug games.
*wonders if kingdom of loathing pays people to plug it's website* >.> hmhm.
I say we ban everyone just to be safe.
I agree with said bannings.
You volunteering to be first.
BURRRRRRRNNN!
X3
:[ y u hate me
Quote:
I say we ban everyone just to be safe.
I Thought you loooooooooooooooooooved meeeeee.
I don't honestly SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG think this sort of thing happens. I mean SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG that you'd have to put a lot of work into SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG it, to make people beleive you're really there for SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG the forums. Plus, you'd have to be reaaaallly SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG subtle...
Like subliminal messaging. oo
That reminds me, Kingdom Hearts II due out sometime in Spring '06 here in North America. Watch for it. Famitsu gave it 39 out of 40, so you know it's going to be worth your while. For all the latest tidbits, be sure to check in at the dedicated thread in Gaming Academy regularly for updates.
Ka-ching.
Does that game even NEED this kind of marketting? It'll practically sell itself...
That's pretty sneaky. Brilliant, but sneaky. I hope that forum hosts take notice of this, since having 50 identities at once would put a strain on the forums, IMO, on top of thje advertising.
*buy crack* oo
..I smoke rocks 
... ::Buys from Cooki::
Hrm. You would think though, that even with 5 to 10 posts an hour, one would start to see that the game in question was talked about a lil TOO much; thereby killing the hype {Ie. their job}
Even with well thought out posts..Wait no..
All the fanfic writers who hear about this could be sitting at home, typing out {}in Word} all their posts, making sure their "Story" seems good enough to post 10 times on the same forum under different names.
<<...::Looks at his last story.::...Yo where do I sign up >>
Penny-Arcade had even more on this today
Quote:
Wanna know about marketing, ask a Marketer. Here's a couple nifty bits for ya:
1) I have in my possession a marketing plan for NBA LIVE 2004 (don't ask how I got it... ). This marketing plan actually refers to "Hiring viral specialists to advocate NBA Live online via chat rooms targeting gaming fan sites" and "Placing offensive, defensive and PR shills into common gaming chat arenas." It goes on to outline a full page of tactics for said "Guerilla Online Marketing for Core Gamers."2) I actually hired a company called Hype Council ( http://www.hypecouncil.com). These guys do a TON of gaming related stuff -- I actually wouldn't be surprised if it's the company referred to in your news post. Their technique is quite insidious. Let's say they were hired to pump up PA (not like you need the buzz, but whatever...). Using one of the hundreds of shill accounts they have across the net, they post a new thread that says something like "hey guys, I've been looking for some new web comics to read. Anybody have any recommendations?" This is non-threatening, and gets the community engaged. They then wait a couple days and post again, this time with "Well, I asked some friends and they suggested I check out Penny Arcade <insert link>. I thought it was pretty funny, although I didn't like all the cuss words. What do you guys think?" Again, seeking engagement, they now have stealthily inserted the client's link, thereby encouraging trial. It's all very measurable and very effective. You should see the monthly reports you get from these guys: everything is detailed. Spooky.
It's all very insidious and, I'm sure, widespread. So much so that I don't trust anything I read. Unless it's a board where I "know" the posters, I always assume everyone on the board is a shill.
Reading the latter part made me laugh that things in our culture have gotten to the point that making a dishonest post that doesn't really promote your client, but happens to have a link to their page in it counts as "marketting". Still, I have a feeling the latter example is a lot more successful in this then the former.
I really don't see a problem with it. I mean it's not a crime, really, and all they're doing is posting links and advising purchase. I mean it's actually alot more friendly and subtle than most forms of advertising. I'd rather have someone I've come to know (fake or no, if I were posting 5 posts per hour with several accounts, I wouldn't bother making new identities for them, so everything I typed would be me) advising me on a purchase than have a hugeass pop-up or billboard screaming BUY BUY BUY.
Heck, if all advertising were as friendly and unobtrusive as this, I might actually stop whinging about it occasionally.
I read all that on Penny Arcade around noon earlier today, and was about to mention it, before a certain Srol stole me post idea. X3 I wasn't quick enough, blast it...
"Psssh. That's bullcrap. Pfffffttt."
no. thats cruel.
