Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

October 14, 2008

GameSpot's Brendan Sinclair is reporting that those now-famous Obama ads running in Burnout Paradise are visible only to gamers who are connecting to Xbox Live from 10 potential battleground states. From GameSpot's coverage:

The EA representative said the ads would only appear in 10 different states, most of them contested battleground states. Paradise City residents in Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Colorado, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, and Wisconsin are being targeted by the campaign...

The Obama campaign is only running on the Xbox 360 version of the game, as it was handled by Microsoft-owned in-game ad firm Massive Incorporated... As for the absence of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, the EA representative said Massive had approached the Arizona senator's campaign about Burnout advertising.

GamePolitics broke the news of the ads last Thursday.

UPDATE: The Seattle Times is now quoting EA PR rep Holly Rockwood to the effect that the Obama ads are running in eight additional games:

  • Madden 09
  • Nascar 09
  • NBA Live 08
  • Need for Speed Carbon
  • Need for Speed Pro Street
  • NFL on Tour
  • NHL 09
  • Skate

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Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

Thats pretty cool idea for the election.

Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

>.>;;; Howabout running it in no states?

Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

Actually, I would prefer it to be all or none. If I'm gonna fly through the air and smash things going a thousand miles an hour, I wanna be able to see the billboard in whatever state I'm playing in.

Game on, brothers and sisters.

Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

As long as you could destroy the billboard when you crash into it, cause I wouldn't mind that since I don't like the guy, otherwise, I could do without.


Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

I just keep seeing Gillette Fusion ads... but then I'm in Canada.

Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

It makes sense, I suppose.

Why pay for advertising in states you know you're going to win (or lose)?  I imagine that saves them a couple bucks.

Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

Whoa, Obama ads in NFSC? I'll have to keep an eye out. (Yeah it came out in 2006, but I only recently got into the game and have been playing it to death ever since. :P)

EDIT: my bad, battleground states only... I don't know if CA is or not.

-- "Jack and listen are two words that don't go together...just like Jack and sanity, Jack and truth, Jack and proof, Jack and win..." -- sortableturnip | http://www.orangeloungeradio.com/

Re: Obama Burnout Ads Running Only in Battleground States

I wouldn't bet on it.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 02/09/10 at 01:18pm
Valdearg: I do agree that it shouldn't be legal. That's for sure.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:14pm
Valdearg: @AE: Doubtful. Again, it's perfectly legal.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:10pm
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:00pm
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:53pm
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Andrew Eisen: Eye color isn't covered either but I doubt it would be considered legal to refuse to hire people with green eyes.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:48pm
Andrew Eisen: My explanation is longer than the Shoutbox will allow. Suffice to say that while those who are discriminated against do have legal recourse, anti-discrimination law should specifically cite sexual orientation so that there’s no question about it.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:42pm
Valdearg: "There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; it remains legal in 29 states, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity or expression." From the Human Rights Campaign.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:40pm
Valdearg: @AE: Why don't you think I'm correct? I know Wiki could be flawed, but as far as it says, its up to date as of June 2009.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:39pm
Andrew Eisen: I don't think you're right but I really don't know and don't have the time to find out. However things actually are, it's very clear how they actually should be.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:34pm
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal." I would disagree. If there's no laws against it, it makes it perfectly legal. It's definitely not right, but perfectly legal to do.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:32pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:26pm
Andrew Eisen: In the US? Not that I'm aware of. Sad if true.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:25pm
Valdearg: @AE: Actually, I think, at least for now, businesses can still discriminate against gays in a few states.. Something like 5 or 8. Its part of why Gay Rights Advocates are in support of the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, or ENDA.
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