Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out.
This marks the third time we've featured Ubisoft's Jam Sessions in our Promotional Consideration column, but these latest ads for the New Zealand market are the best ones yet. We're not going to ruin their illicit content for you before you've had a chance to watch these not-safe-for-work commercials yourselves, so hurry past the break and see what all the kids are nattering about at recess.
"Say thanks to Auntie"
Birthday dinner. Exchanged gifts. Groping your aunt.
While the nephew's forceful kiss is predictable, even if the commercial were to end there, that light bit of incest is enough to upset conservative parents. But advertising firm Colenso BBDO pushes it even further with the next cut, a close-up shot of young Jacob rounding first base and sliding to second, hands-first.
Jacob's mother eventually pulls him away from her shapely sister, but the damage is done. She sends the birthday boy to his room without a bite of cake, and, shortly afterwards, apologizes embarrassingly as everyone puts on their coats and thank her for the nice dinner before departing. Ten minutes later, alone in the kitchen, washing the dishes, she thinks to herself, "At least none of the neighbors saw that. Thank goodness the curtains were closed!"
"F****in' sponge cake?!"
Whoa whoa whoa.
With the "Say thanks to Auntie" piece, there's at least a slight chance that the thirty-second spot could run on US airwaves. But this commercial? With this language? Fuhgeddaboudit! We had no idea New Zealand's commercial breaks were such lawless kingdoms, overrun with indecorous advertisements and unbridled directors. Before you go around bad-mouthing New Zealanders, though, please remember that Kiwis are people too:
It's worth remarking that in both ads, the depicted families lack a father figure. Perhaps a firm hand would've taught some sense into these disrespectful, guitar-sim-playing hellions? We have distinct memories of our own dad making use of his belt whenever we tested the boundaries of our vernacular.
On the topic of parents, what responsible adult would buy Jam Sessions for a kid this Christmas after seeing these ads? We imagine that showing children cursing up a storm and feeling up their aunts isn't the best way to sell a game. Take note that not a single screenshot is shown in either spots. The focus is entirely on the rock star image.
Still, these commercials are a lot more interesting than the tame one North America received. Despite having much worse packaging art with its version of Jam Sessions, New Zealand definitely got the better deal when it came to advertisements.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-18-2007 @ 6:28PM
jesus_bon_jovi said...
hahahahahaha what the hell is this? the game is wussy as it is its all acoustic.
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11-18-2007 @ 6:31PM
Fullmetal Salchemist said...
A guy with "bon jovi" in his handle has no right to call things "wussy."
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11-18-2007 @ 8:11PM
pimpybra said...
While I do agree that these commercials would push parents away from buying the game for their kids... I still think they'd be highly effective. Kids who see it, and their parents don't, will make their parents buy it: "gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme"
Plus, older 'kids' (18+) will see it, have a laugh, and potentially have interest in it because of the 'shock and humor' of the ad.
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11-18-2007 @ 10:26PM
spence said...
@JBJ
it's only acoustic if you play without distortion.
Learn to rock, kthx.
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11-18-2007 @ 10:39PM
NotSure said...
USA, Australia and the UK are all pretty backward for advertising. NZ came up with Toyotas "Bugger!" ad, and then for a year afterward, grandparents could be seen in public trying to teach two year olds to say "Bugger" repeatedly.
NZ doesn't have any fathers left. They have become an extinct species. They passed many laws outlawing men in families. Most men just left for Australia. Corporal punishment?! No no no no... they outlawed that as well. A stern talking to is nearly a punishable offence now. In some situations parents have had their children put into foster care for a telling off or a time out. I saw this myself before my family left.
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11-18-2007 @ 10:49PM
Thomas said...
what is this? hahaha the videos are great
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2306321
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11-18-2007 @ 11:41PM
brianemone said...
I'd be surprised if these aired here in NZ, the DS gets very little air time on tv (only for pokemon releases) They are f'in hilarious though.
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11-19-2007 @ 12:59AM
Deuz Augustine said...
Tags: incest
Wow.
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