Xbox 360 Staging World Record Breaking Water Balloon Challenge

[bapenguin]

This is kind of old news, but it is occurring tomorrow in Sydney Australia. More than 50,000 water balloons are set to go in an attempt to break the world record currently held by 2,677 Spaniards who threw 50,855 water balloons in 2005. This is sort of a play on one of the original XBox 360 commercials (http://media.putfile.com/X360_Balloon_Commercial) that aired showing a huge water balloon fight.

Thousands of participants form as far away as the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia will throw water balloons on Coogee beach. All registered entrants will get an Xbox 360 Challenge Pack worth over $150 that includes: an Xbox 360 game; a commemorative Xbox 360 T-shirt; Xbox 360 trucker cap and swimming goggles; and an Xbox 360 canvas bag.
http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/wb_challenge/thumb.001.jpg (http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/image.php?image=www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/wb_challenge/001.jpg)

[bapenguin]

http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/wb_challenge/thumb.002.jpg (http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/image.php?image=www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/wb_challenge/002.jpg)


http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/wb_challenge/thumb.020.jpg (http://www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/image.php?image=www.evilavatar.com/images/previews/wb_challenge/020.jpg)

[Grimmjow]

so are they trying to recreate there commercial?

[Franjo]

instead of throwing water balloon's, they should be throwing mlb2k6

[joruussuun]

They should put the water ballons in the freezer for a few hours first... makes for more frantic action.

[jacktion]

The story is kind of interesting, but only in the sense that we are falling directly into the trap of free marketing for Microsoft by posting this here.

[Neosho]

What's the game going to be? Xbox360 waterballoon fight?

[Citizen Philip]

So Awesome. While they are so close to the Barrier Reef they should break off a piece a piece of it and bring it home, quite a bit of it has died recently. Hah, stupid polyps and their problem with warming weather.

[The Letter 3]

The story is kind of interesting, but only in the sense that we are falling directly into the trap of free marketing for Microsoft by posting this here.
Yessssssssssssss, excellent. We have you know, in our trap. And posting news articles about upcoming 360 games isn't "the trap of free marketing?"

[bapenguin]

The story is kind of interesting, but only in the sense that we are falling directly into the trap of free marketing for Microsoft by posting this here.

I think everyone that visits this site knows the XBox 360 exists. This event does little more than reaffirm that. I figured for a Friday it's worth posting. If anything for the nifty picture of water balloons in the sand in AU.

[51|RandoM]

The story is kind of interesting, but only in the sense that we are falling directly into the trap of free marketing for Microsoft by posting this here.

you're assuming it is free marketing...


;-)

[Neosho]

I'm going to laugh when like, 01020301231 seagulls die from ingesting water balloon fragments, and the plastic kills what little remains of the barrier reef.

(Leading zeros ftw)

[Zaro]

It's a very bad strategy Microsoft use showing gamers that it's
possible to have fun outside. :)

[Heretic Machine]

I don't get marketing strategies sometimes... I mean, will this sell even one more 360? I doubt it'll even contribute to a single purchase. But hell, it's not my money, MS can do whatever they want.

[jacktion]

I think everyone that visits this site knows the XBox 360 exists. This event does little more than reaffirm that. I figured for a Friday it's worth posting. If anything for the nifty picture of water balloons in the sand in AU.


That's true. I am just taking a hardcore stance for much the same reason. Cause it's Friday.
But it is interesting to note how this all works. Microsoft organizes this event that is basically meaningless. It does not affect anyone. It makes no difference whether it happens or not. It is not informative. It is fluff. And they are going to get millions of dollars worth of value in media outlets around the world. This story will get reported as a "human interest story" over and over. On the BBC. On CNN. On gaming sites. It is really massive advertising for a company. If they had to buy the same amount of ad time it would probably cost 10s of millions of dollars.
I guess I am just stating the obvious but it still is crazy to me.
And it is different from this site previewing games because giving someone information about a hobby is not really advertising to me. It is more of a service...
Maybe I'm wrong about that. I guess it is advertising. It just doesn't seem like it because I want to know about it. Maybe the difference I am seeking is that advertising is ads for stuff I don't want or need. And information is ads about stuff I want and need. But then there is ads for stuff like Doritos which I neither want nor need but I will probably buy just because I don't care either way and I saw enough ads so they affected my thinking.

[bapenguin]

That's true. I am just taking a hardcore stance for much the same reason. Cause it's Friday.
But it is interesting to note how this all works. Microsoft organizes this event that is basically meaningless. It does not affect anyone. It makes no difference whether it happens or not. It is not informative. It is fluff. And they are going to get millions of dollars worth of value in media outlets around the world. This story will get reported as a "human interest story" over and over. On the BBC. On CNN. On gaming sites. It is really massive advertising for a company. If they had to buy the same amount of ad time it would probably cost 10s of millions of dollars.
I guess I am just stating the obvious but it still is crazy to me.
And it is different from this site previewing games because giving someone information about a hobby is not really advertising to me. It is more of a service...
Maybe I'm wrong about that. I guess it is advertising. It just doesn't seem like it because I want to know about it. Maybe the difference I am seeking is that advertising is ads for stuff I don't want or need. And information is ads about stuff I want and need. But then there is ads for stuff like Doritos which I neither want nor need but I will probably buy just because I don't care either way and I saw enough ads so they affected my thinking.

All very good points.

Like I said, the real reason I posted it as I thought that pic with the water balloons in the sand was pretty cool looking. :)

[gzsfrk]

But it is interesting to note how this all works. Microsoft organizes this event that is basically meaningless. It does not affect anyone. It makes no difference whether it happens or not. It is not informative. It is fluff. And they are going to get millions of dollars worth of value in media outlets around the world. This story will get reported as a "human interest story" over and over. On the BBC. On CNN. On gaming sites. It is really massive advertising for a company. If they had to buy the same amount of ad time it would probably cost 10s of millions of dollars.

So to summarize your complaint: Some ad exec at MS is a genius for coming up with a way to get millions of dollars in advertising that develops mindshare for the 360 which probably costs less than $200,000 to implement?

Brilliant!

I guess I am just stating the obvious but it still is crazy to me.

Crazy like a calculating & efficient fox.

Given what you just analyzed in the former part of your post, WHY exactly is this anything but superb advertising strategy on MS' part? Rather than them funding a giant water balloon fight, you'd rather they paid MTV to develop another spot featuring Elijah Woods pretending to be excited about the 360 again? I think this is an awesome form of alternative advertising.

And it is different from this site previewing games because giving someone information about a hobby is not really advertising to me. It is more of a service...
Maybe I'm wrong about that. I guess it is advertising. It just doesn't seem like it because I want to know about it. Maybe the difference I am seeking is that advertising is ads for stuff I don't want or need. And information is ads about stuff I want and need.

Now that is truly one of the more honest and insightful (as opposed to inciteful) things I've seen written on EvAv in a long while. Bravo!

[Dag-Sabot]

meh. The graphics on these water balloons are only slightly better than the regular old xbox ones.
Im just going to wait till the price drop around the time when the playstation ships their long awaited water noodle.

edit: the core water balloons ship seperately and without water.

[Dr Quincy]

This doesn't make me want an Xbox 360. But still, sounds like a lark.

[Captain Awesome]

I feel sorry for the poor bastards who will have to clean up that fucking mess after this giant marketing scheme is done. What an enviromentally shitty thing to do.

[MosBen]

From what I understand, Frodo really is something of a gamer. Otherwise I agree with most everything that's been posted here. It's a brilliant marketing move that's probably really bad for the environment.

[Neosho]

From what I understand, Frodo really is something of a gamer. Otherwise I agree with most everything that's been posted here. It's a brilliant marketing move that's probably really bad for the environment.
Which simply translates out to...brilliant all around! :p

[Sl1pstream]

I want to throw around waterballoons too! Just don't have the time or money to go to Sydney just to do that. I wish I did have those because it sounds like fun.

/goes into depression

[Citizen Philip]

.. when I see happy go-lucky kids dressed in brown shirts running around in "Typical Old Europe Place", as they energetically spill ice on the ground, icing off their cola: While chalking the outline of a coke bottle and a glass and everyone watching, it's so exciting! What are these crazy kids doing? Are they serious?! The final display ending in all of these kids, from diverase backgrounds and beaming perfect smiles all running from the chakl bottle to glass like so many delicious sugary carbonated beverages sips..

I could care less.

This. Same category.

[Dag-Sabot]

The only thing that would make that commercial interesting would be a simultaneous xbox360 waterballoon attack!

[Mephistopheles]

I weep for my nation and my city...




...unless they're tying this in with an attempt to break the female wet tshirt record.

[Zurik]

Proof that Evil Avatar has sold out to Microsoft!

Of course I'm being sarcastic, but I know some idiot will think that this serious.

[bean19]

I think this is really freaking awesome, and that you guys are cynical.

[Lon Lon Rabbit]

I think it's a great marketting move; I was considering going, but then I saw the different free games available, two of which I had and one I never planned on playing, so decided not to.

What a sad, sad, reason...

I probably should have gone along just to take pictures, but I ended up staying home today with Oblivion and an essay.

[aversion2k]

Whens the xbox orgy?

[RandomViolence]

Whens the xbox orgy?

Do you REALLY want to go to a gamer orgy? :D