Return to Unfiction unforum
 a.r.g.b.b 
FAQ FAQ   Search Search 
 
Welcome!
New users, PLEASE read these forum guidelines. New posters, SEARCH before posting and read these rules before posting your killer new campaign. New players may also wish to peruse the ARG Player Tutorial.

All users must abide by the Terms of Service.
Website Restoration Project
This archiving project is a collaboration between Unfiction and Sean Stacey (SpaceBass), Brian Enigma (BrianEnigma), and Laura E. Hall (lehall) with
the Center for Immersive Arts.
Announcements
This is a static snapshot of the
Unfiction forums, as of
July 23, 2017.
This site is intended as an archive to chronicle the history of Alternate Reality Games.
  

The time now is Mon Nov 11, 2024 2:35 pm
All times are UTC - 4 (DST in action)		 View posts in this forum since last visit
View unanswered posts in this forum
Calendar
 Forum index » Updates » Press and Other Analysis
Splinter Cell stunt nearly gets actor shot by the police
Moderators: krystyn
View previous topicView next topic
Page 1 of 1 [8 Posts]  
Author Message
degravedi
Unfictologist


Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 1458
Location: New Orleans

 		Splinter Cell stunt nearly gets actor shot by the police
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10639139
Quote:
Promotions prank ends in armed police callout
By Bevan Hurley
4:00 AM Sunday Apr 18, 2010

A marketing stunt to promote a video game sparked an armed police callout after an actor pointed a fake gun at terrified pubgoers in Auckland's Viaduct Basin.

About 20 revellers drinking outside Degree bar dived for cover after the promotions worker threatened them with a black imitation pistol about 8pm on Friday.

Witnesses said they heard someone shout "he's got a gun" and outdoor drinkers dived behind their tables.

Degree manager Steph Kurtovich said: "This guy with bandages on his hands pointed a gun at customers sitting outside. They were pretty terrified."

The stunt, to promote the release of Xbox title Splinter Cell Evolution, was condemned by police.

Senior Sergeant Ben Offner said officers could not tell the gun was made of plastic until they had taken it from the actor.

"We consider these types of stunts to be very ill-advised and have real concerns a similar one may one day end in tragedy."

Game promoters Monaco Corporation said they hired another marketing company to organise the event and had no idea that a gun would be used.

"This was by no means an attempt to get cops down there and get this sort of exposure.

Article continues below

We do apologise, we shouldn't have had guns down there," said Duane Mutu, Monaco's marketing manager. "It was just marketing gone wrong."

Police said two men were cautioned at the scene.


http://kotaku.com/5519695/splinter-cell-stunt-almost-gets-someone-shot
Quote:
Splinter Cell Stunt Almost Gets Someone Shot
Note to flacks: Cops aren't considering concepts like viral marketing or cosplay when an actor staggers into a pub district to point a plastic gun at the patrons. Promoters of Splinter Cell Conviction just learned this in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Herald reports that the stunt provoked an armed police response to Auckland's Viaduct Basin, a popular nightlife area, Friday night at 8 p.m. local time. Some two dozen patrons said the guy, who had bandages on his hands, pointed a pistol at them. They dived for cover and out came the po-po, ready to shoot.

Police quickly figured out the gun was a fake, but weren't at all amused by the situation. Monaco Corporation, a marketing partner of Ubisoft's in New Zealand, apologized for the provocation, although they said they hired out another marketing company to put the event together and had no idea that a gun was to be used.

"It was just marketing gone wrong," said a Monaco representative. No kidding.


http://consumerist.com/2010/04/pointing-a-gun-at-people-in-public-is-not-good-viral-marketing.html
Quote:
Pointing A Gun At People In Public Is Not Good Viral Marketing
By Chris Morran on April 19, 2010 11:43 AM

In one of the more inane attempts at viral marketing, a man in New Zealand was almost shot by police as he roamed the streets of Auckland scaring the bejeezus out of bystanders with his toy gun.

It was all a stunt to promote the New Zealand release of Splinter Cell Conviction, the latest in the Tom Clancy-approved series of Splinter Cell games from Ubisoft.

In the game, you play as Sam Fisher, a disgraced former NSA secret agent who lurks in the shadows and specializes in performing spot-on headshots on whatever unlucky evil goon gets between him and his target.

So the marketing company hired to promote the game thought that sending a dude covered in bandages and brandishing a fake weapon into Auckland's popular Viaduct Basin area would be a good idea. It wasn't.

According to reports, over two dozen people contacted the police after spotting the stunt. The cops arrived and quickly drew their real guns on the man with the fake one.

"It was just marketing gone wrong," said a rep for the marketing company in what could be categorized as a huge understatement. The company also claims that they subcontracted out this stunt to another marketer and that they were unaware a gun would be used.



I would guarantee someone's getting fired. Laughing

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:41 pm
 View user's profile AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
Nighthawk
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee


Joined: 14 Jul 2007
Posts: 4751
Location: Miami, Florida, USA, Earth

 		Every time I hear this story, I can't imagine how anyone thought this was a good idea.
_________________
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico"

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 11:25 pm
 View user's profile Visit poster's website
 Back to top 
krystynModerator
I Never Tire of My Own Voice


Joined: 26 Sep 2002
Posts: 3651
Location: Is not Chicago

 		Ugh, so irresponsible.
_________________
Alternate Currency
Stories and dreams, crossing my palm like silver.

xbl gamertag: krystyn

PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:26 am
 View user's profile Visit poster's website
 Back to top 
lifegospel
Unfettered

Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Posts: 715
Location: Calgary, Alberta

 		&^(*&(*)ing IDIOTS!!!

Seriously, that was not the smartest thing to do.
_________________
Lurking: The Baldulc will Rise | Lurked: Hallucine
Playing: MarbleHornets, Not so Different | Played:
PM'ed: I am 9
Quote of the month: RIP Chayse Yaganoichi

PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:36 pm
 View user's profile MSN Messenger
 Back to top 
Rogi Ocnorb
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 4266
Location: Where the cheese is free.

 		It seems to be amping up just a little bit, every time law enforcement gets involved.

Back in the day, it was just calls from various government agencies asking WTF you were up to.
Then there was the shotgun shells incident, followed by ATHF's Boston fiasco and now pointing guns at unwary citizens.

What am I forgetting
_________________
I'm telling you now, so you can't say, "Oh, I didn't know...Nobody told me!"


PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 6:21 pm
 View user's profile AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
 Back to top 
konamouse
Official uF Dietitian


Joined: 02 Dec 2002
Posts: 8010
Location: My own alternate reality

 		Loved hearing about Brian Clark getting called by Homeland Security because of Arabic posts on Craigs Lists for BeSeeingU. LoL!
_________________
'squeek'
r u a Sammeeeee? I am Forever!

PostPosted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:40 pm
 View user's profile
 Back to top 
Nighthawk
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee


Joined: 14 Jul 2007
Posts: 4751
Location: Miami, Florida, USA, Earth

 		I'm also wondering about the actor.

"OK, so you're job is to walk in to a bar, pretend you're a mercenary and wave wave your gun around at people."

"And... wait... what?!?"
_________________
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico"

PostPosted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 10:15 am
 View user's profile Visit poster's website
 Back to top 
Ofiuco
Unfettered


Joined: 27 Nov 2005
Posts: 365
Location: The Void

 		Really? Really? I'm waiting for 'FBI Sting Catches Marketing Campaign In Possible Terrorist Plot' to come across my @FBIPressOffice Twitter feed now.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:13 am
 View user's profile Visit poster's website AIM Address MSN Messenger
 Back to top 
Display posts from previous:   Sort by:   
Page 1 of 1 [8 Posts]  
View previous topicView next topic
 Forum index » Updates » Press and Other Analysis
Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
You cannot post calendar events in this forum



Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group