1. DC Geeks just published their photos from Magfest 2012. This Pikachu car was in the dealer’s room. I wish I knew the story behind it.
2. My best friend, @TheHoffgod, just started a new blog, The 2012 Gaming Project. He’ll be playing 200 games this year for at least an hour each, and then writing up his impressions. His review of Ben There, Dan That, is delightfully surreal.
3. One of the commenters on my last post, matty, shared a link to Comic Book Resources’ take on Bandai and anime piracy:
This is exactly how people consume media nowadays. They sample, then buy. They don’t buy everything they sample, but if the samples are cut off, they won’t buy any more—and they might buy less. This is the new reality, and all the scoldings in the world won’t bring back the good old days.
4. The BBC’s report on booth babes at the Consumer Electronics Show transported me back to a simpler time, when men dealt with technology and women stood around looking sexy. It would’ve been quaint, if it hadn’t happened last weekend. I wish there was a way to comment on the video, because I certainly have a lot to say.
5. Listening to 2DTeleidoscope‘s latest podcast, “The Holy Land (Mini-Podcast 1 of 2: Akihabara and Comiket),” was like listening to a professionally produced episode of This American Life. Twelve minutes very well spent.
5 Comments.
What makes these companies thing that some babe booth shall suddenly make their crappy product enticing? If the product can’t stand on it’s own two feet it’s a dud. Plain and simple.
But we see this junk in too many places. Reminds me of this posting by someone else about artwork and booths at Gencon the big pen and paper RPG con (and I guess also collectible cards games, et all).
http://gomakemeasandwich.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/photos-from-gencon-2011-part-1-of-2/
If you need “hot chicks” and ridiculous images of women to entice your customers…Well, you are doing it wrong.
@Dormouse42, thank you SO MUCH for bringing that site to my attention! I can’t believe I’ve never seen it before. I especially liked her statistical study of female art in Magic cards. I really hope it does get turned into a book.
I guess the psychology behind booth babes is that men will be attracted to them and come closer to learn about the products. But, as others have pointed out before me, they have a negative externality: men will assume that any women they see at the convention are just there to look hot and make them buy things.
That’s so true.
Why would a woman want to attend an event of this type with booth babes. Many of the med will see them in that light. Nice way to make an environment uncomfortable.
I’ve not gone to GenCon before, but I’ve read and heard from some women that they wind up getting gawked at. All the game and booth art is definitely a big part of it.
“I wish I knew the story behind it.”
The story is pretty simple, really! That’s one of the original Pikachu VW Beetles that Nintendo commissioned as promotional vehicles. They later gave them away in various contests. That’s “PIKA10” as it was originally titled, and is the prize of my collection. I was more than happy to put it on display for the weekend.
I should have guessed that the car would have to belong to somebody with a name like DJ Awesome! I can only imagine what kind of contest you won for this to be the prize.
Thanks so much for lending it to Magfest. It added a lot to the atmosphere, and it definitely made me smile.