EVE General Discussion

Here's an idea that I would like my friends in GD to comment on....

Let's introduce 5-10 new skins under special arrangement with corporate sponsors! Here's some ideas to get your thinking caps working...

1. CocaCola Hulk. This would have the holiday-themed bear design. Included would be a crate of limited edition cans of coke.

2. Jimmy Johns. This would be a skin for one of the interceptors. Included would be a crate of yummy subs- so fast you'll freak!

3. Schneider (trucking company). This would be a bright orange freighter skin.

4. Some sort of liquor company skin for a blockade runner. A crate of their product would be included.

5. Hello Kitty. Because there is a hello kitty everything. This would be a pink skin for some Amarrian ship. Included would be something free for whatever the hell that brand is.

CCP could charge these companies a flat fee, or share a percentage of the revenue attributed to the aurum used to purchase them. Like everything else in life, this "officially licensed merchandise" would come with a hefty premium price.

For lore, we could just say some ancient Earth texts were discovered and it's a new fad to decorate ships with these paintjobs.

Hopefully I qualify for your request for friends to comment, so assuming this is the case:

In game advertising, just the same as in movie advertising occurs in films.

No need to stop at ships though. CCP could splash the billboards with ads and team up with manufacturers to release a line of in game items that have benefits like Quafe Zero does (image a RedBull in game).

Then, those that think the launcher has become a third-party marketing tool can really have a field day in GD and the rest of us can receive our subliminal messages while playing.

It's an idea... but imagine a situation where a vicious, brutal, and cruel event happens (y'know normal EvE gameplay) and then somebody goes and whines to a corporate advertiser and they start leaning on CCP to make changes. Or if some idiot stands on a fanfest stage and makes a poorly thought-out presentation, and corporate advertisers go apeshit and start making demands of CCP. Or any of a million other things that are typical internet gameplay occur that might potentially sully a corporation's "good name" and their inevitable reaction.

There are branding and trademark issues that probably make this a non-starter wrt IP.

I would definitely be all over the Marlboro sponsorship, for a little of that old-time NASCAR feel.

You know, before the anti-smoking fascists cashed in on their law degrees and took over civilized society.

Nothing real world related. We have enough commercials in media out of game.

no need for the lore to explain the hello kitty, no one would be surprised that that ip could be still healthy.

Eddie Stobart haulers ftw :)

All IP and trademark issues aside... waits for special really stretchy skins sponsored by "Weight Watchers" and "Jenny Craig"... but only for haulers with lots of "expanded" mods fitted.

That and reality. Advertising in Eve would only be useful to global brands and Eve would only allow them to target 0.00....% of their target audience - in that sort of scenario it becomes debatable as to which direction money would flow since the endorsement of the game would be more beneficial to CCP than the advertising was to the brand.
More likely advertising would be in the form of an oh so great splash screen reminding us of Nvidia or Intel since you definitely see a splash screen where as a logo placed somewhere in the play area is a fairly unlikely target of your attention (if the game is any good).
That said Hello Kitty skins are a must have and CCP must obtain the relevant rights as soon as possible, as well as this a care bear projectile weapon should be introduced as well as Durex inspired station designs.