Take the Let's Tarot campaign, for example. Did anyone see popular actress Kanako Yanagihara in the ads and think, "I believe I will purchase this product. The reason is that I am a fan of Ms. Yanagihara's work, and she has accepted money in exchange for the association of her likeness with the item in question."? Or Jam Sessions's bizarre New Zealand ad campaign, which associates receiving the product with becoming an awful person.
Is being memorable all it takes to be successful as an ad? Have you ever been swayed by game advertising, or reminded sufficiently of something you were interested in to go get it?
With the receding hairline of 2007 about to become the implausible comb-over of 2008, we've been pondering the future quite a lot here in the DS Fanboy dungeons. As we've already taken 
Thanks to Alisha's 
Since the DS is portable (ain't life grand?), there's probably a game or two you just can't do without. You know, the ones that go with you everywhere. The games that are perfect for that few minutes when you can sneak away and relax into a favorite experience. What is it for you?
We talk a little about imports around here, but there are just so many that we can't possibly cover 'em all. Mostly, we hit the biggies -- the games that will generally head this way -- or things that are completely awesome, like the Ouendan titles. Beyond that, of course, we look at quirky, silly games, because we are quirky, silly people and we like to laugh. But how about you? If you're importing, or even surfing sites and thinking about it, what piques your interest? What did you buy, or even consider buying, this year? Games that you just couldn't wait for, or things that had little to no chance of a release outside Japan?
Since we're taking it easy around these parts today, we're going to encourage you to do the same. Let us know how your gaming is going, or if you gave or got anything DS-related for the holidays. Or, hey let us know what we're missing lately that you're curious about. While we certainly don't make the news, we can always try to meet your requests. Keep us informed by sending tips or letting us know what interests you ... and this is a good day to start.
At least, we assume there's one game at which you totally suck. We've all got 'em. Maybe it's not consistent, but at least some days you get continuously smoked. But what's the game? Maybe you can't face Contra 4, or you are continually last (and weeping) in Mario Kart DS. Maybe you've given up on Tetris or Planet Puzzle League. Whatever the game, we want to hear about your shame. We'll commiserate. After all, with so many of us hanging around, you're probably not alone over there in your big ol' pail of fail.
No, we're not talking about the heroes you might be thinking of. We're talking about the heroes behind the heroes. The names and faces that make our games come alive. The visionaries, if you will.
... or, more specifically, taking it with you to family gatherings over the holidays. As in, will you be carrying your DS around? For holiday travel, it's a real boon; the DS can help with the monotony of long plane trips or drives (so long as you're not actually driving), or help deal with jet lag or insomnia from changing time zones. It can also be fun to share the joy and wonder of the world's best handheld with the uneducated masses. Did you do that last winter? If so, you may not be the only one sporting a DS at this year's holiday gatherings. Hey, maybe you'll be able to get some download play in!
While we do in fact find the idea of a 
Some games really depend on story, like the Ace Attorney series or any number of text-based adventures. Sure, they may have other elements as well, but it's really the story that pulls you along (or doesn't, if that's not your thing). But how do you feel about stories in games in general? Are you the type who skates through story screens as quickly as possible, or do you watch and read everything closely, even if it's not necessarily important to the game?
