GW’s re-launch of their website and rumour control

[The Plastic Surgeon]

Hmmm was it something I said?

I'm just saying that GD seminars aren't that informative and tend to be anti-climactic. And yes sure more people will hear it, but what would our intrepid GD reporters do?

[Dosadi]

GW Canada did a few podcasts last year, mostly they reviewed the latest codex or army book. While it’s always nice to hear people talk about the hobby it was clear that they were A) not allowed to talk about anything not yet released (or outside of 3 months away) B) were pretty subjective in their review in that nothing in the new book was bad, everything was better than the previous incarnation and everyone was going want to jump on this bandwagon.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with that sort of approach, especially coming from the company who produces the products in question. Anyone expecting anything else should go listen to 40k Radio, D6 Generation, World’s End Radio or one of the many other podcasts who do not have the same bias (or shouldn’t).

Now, if this podcast spends a few minutes every episode dropping cryptic hints of what might in the works then I think that’s a great way to drum up some discussion and speculation on forums as everyone tries to decipher what they might mean. We can already see their first attempt at viral marketing with the Mystery Box. Most people knew it was Space Hulk, but that didn’t stop endless threads about what it might be (it’s Space Hulk…get over it). If this sort of marketing helps GW sell 2% more Space Hulk sets then it will have been a success. So porting this sort of concept over to a monthly podcast will indeed be worth the investment.


Dosadi

[The Plastic Surgeon]

GW Canada did a few podcasts last year, mostly they reviewed the latest codex or army book. While it’s always nice to hear people talk about the hobby it was clear that they were A) not allowed to talk about anything not yet released (or outside of 3 months away) B) were pretty subjective in their review in that nothing in the new book was bad, everything was better than the previous incarnation and everyone was going want to jump on this bandwagon.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with that sort of approach, especially coming from the company who produces the products in question. Anyone expecting anything else should go listen to 40k Radio, D6 Generation, World’s End Radio or one of the many other podcasts who do not have the same bias (or shouldn’t).

Now, if this podcast spends a few minutes every episode dropping cryptic hints of what might in the works then I think that’s a great way to drum up some discussion and speculation on forums as everyone tries to decipher what they might mean. We can already see their first attempt at viral marketing with the Mystery Box. Most people knew it was Space Hulk, but that didn’t stop endless threads about what it might be (it’s Space Hulk…get over it). If this sort of marketing helps GW sell 2% more Space Hulk sets then it will have been a success. So porting this sort of concept over to a monthly podcast will indeed be worth the investment.


Dosadi

You've won me over, on with the pod casts! But it HAS to have decent dropped in tidbits like you said to make them worth while.

[Watching Paint Dry]

Talking in my local GW they were saying that corporate is cracking down big time on leaks. They were saying stupid things like no photos were allowed to be taken in the stores and stuff like that. I'm not sure how that makes any difference since all the stuff in store is already released, or at least announced.

[Bigred]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Every GW employee minute spent stopping leaks is pure waste. People talk, always have and always will. They especially talk about things they like and are excited about.

There are leaks in the goverment and defense sectors, where the penalties can be life in prison. What chance does a toy manufacturer have to really clamp down on their staff talking about the thing they do for 8 hours a day, that they are in theory excited and positive about?

Better to put in place realistic security measures and leave it at that, and intead focus on embracing 21st century marketing principles. Its a much better approach than turning your company into a low security prison and treating your customers like criminal suspects.

[Nekron99]

"Everything you heard is a lie"

GW deliberately leaked that the Mystery Box is Space Hulk, knowing everyone would run crazy with it. When it is actually the REAL CHAOS CODEX and box army deal that we all want...

"we all" meaning... me!

[imperialsavant]

[QUOTE=Dosadi;550]So I was in my local GW store today and all the staff were wearing new t-shirts that had the slogan “Everything you have heard is a lie”. When I inquired as what this meant, I was told that GW was re-launching their web site with its own rumour section.


That T Shirt slogan is, I think a take off of a Dark Heresy comment.
I am pretty sure I saw it on one of the D/Heresy books.

[ChaosPhoenix]

Sometimes GW does actually funny things. I've had a laugh yesterday, when my Twitter client caught a tweet from "VoxCaster" which seems to be GW's own Twitter account. The funny thing was something else, they've customized their own Twitter client. It's called "Adeptus Astra Telepathic".

So the line I got was: "New Blogpost: Tanks!" from Voxcaster via Adeptus Alpha Telepathic. That was kinda fluffy and funny to read