News
GameStop Leverages Chemicals And Fairy Tale Creature To Boost Profits
June 10, 2008
Shacknews posted up this shot of a press kit sent out from GameStop. The letter, ostensibly written by an ogre named Edgar, urges the reader to trade in games for a $15 (or more!) rebate on the purchase of a new game. The Little Trees car fresheners are to inspire yearnings for that elusive “new game smell.” The entire package implicitly states, “GameStop thinks you’re a fucking retard. Analyze our 10-K and you’ll see that we make bank on re-selling trade-ins. Now smell this.”
Granted, using an ogre to promote a service is no stranger than a talking gecko selling auto insurance or shilling chicken nuggets from a gaily painted man. It just seems a little insulting to the intelligence until you factor in their real target: children. All we can really say is, good for GameStop. This is America, dammit. GameStop has the trade-in market wired, at least till gamers start using Craigs List as a work around.
