Hey, I'm 19, a freshmen here at WSU, and I'm from Windsor. Only been in Michigan since February now, but I live out in Canton. I'm in pre-nursing at the moment, but I'm looking to try and change that soon because I'm not sure if that's what I wanna do (well like, I know that's not what I wanna do, but gotta find a better option first). Music-wise I'm a big fan of House/Electro in general, doubt a lot of you guys know what that even means. If you do - I've been to a couple shows in Canada this past year, saw Tiesto, AVB, David Guetta, Laidback Luke, and have Cosmic Gate coming up on Halloween next. I don't often watch TV, but my favorite show by far would be Entourage.

Project One: Call of Duty: Black Ops - There's a Solder in all of us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pblj3JHF-Jo

     It is a common belief among people that games are meant only for kids. The "There's A Soldier in All of Us" ad by Activision for the new Call of Duty: Black Ops game challenges that popular belief. Activision’s newest advertisement appeals to consumers by showing a wide variety of people taking part in the gaming environment.

     While still managing to appeal to their original fan-base by showing the guns, explosions, and the interactive aspect of the game, their addition of everyday people alongside big name celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel and Kobe Bryant attracts more people to the game.

     In the last decade, the gaming industry has boomed. Gaming technology has expanded, and along with the consumer base. The Entertainment Software Association reports that nearly three quarters of American households play computer or video games and that the average gamer’s age is 37. By showing people of different ages, genders and from various work backgrounds, Activison is appealing to the growing number of gamers in today’s society.

     Furthering their attempts to attract the ever-growing gamer consumer base, Activision incorporates a sense of camaraderie in this commercial. People that you’ve never personally met are placed on your team to fight a virtual opposing threat. Being able to fit-in with a group of “strangers” allows the consumer to feel more at ease online and attracts those who may not get along with their peers outside of the gaming world.

                “There’s A Soldier in All of Us” does not bias against racial backgrounds or age and pits people together and against each other in a way that makes you feel like you’re a part of something clearly bigger. This is highly effective and certainly one of the main attraction points for any game like Call of Duty with a massive online support-base. Looking at previous advertising efforts for their later games shows the use of the virtual characters and not exactly the person controlling that character. This commercial gives a visual representation of the people all over the world that come together to play the game and shows that regardless of experience and other everyday factors, you can still come together in this kind of environment.

                The fact that video games are evolving visually every day is also a great aspect here. The excitement of literally being a battle situation is thrilling in itself, but when placed with other people in a virtual environment today is almost like being there physically. The graphical aspects of the game are extremely well made to further immerse the gamer in that environment and essentially, be there themselves. “It's a dramatization of what it's like to play the game”, said Rob Schwartz of TBWA (the agency responsible for making the advertisement).

                This dramatization, although accurately showing the fan-base of the gaming series, does not show the actual game or any footage from it. Although this commercial is a great hook, for prospective gamers to base their gaming experience off a dramatization is like trying to discern how good a movie from the poster. The violence content of the ad has created a lot of scrutiny amongst some critics showing it to be misleading.

                While simulating a war environment with explosions and guns, the ad fails to provide a realistic approach to this situation. As many people have complained: war is not all fun and games. TBWA strategically does not show any injuries, deaths or anything denoting actual pain. All though it is quite evident that this is a game, by showing only real people using ‘real’ weapons, the ad does not properly illustrate war, the clear theme of the game. Sam Machkovech states that the “There’s a Soldier in All of Us” ad "comes closer to selling real death than any video game possibly could.”

                While I agree that the ad is disillusioning consumers to the actual dangers of warfare, the rhetorical aspects of the ad itself are extremely well played. Almost every second of the ad is exciting and the Rolling Stones song, although not completely befitting of the situation, is a great addition. In conclusion, though the ad successfully attracts and depicts the representation of people who may play the game, there are many negative implications of showing real people act out a war-scenario.