Quote Originally Posted by Lux_Rayna View Post
Why did you have to do this? The last thing we need is a bunch of armchair advertising experts. Do we really need to feed the egos of countless gamers who think they can run a game from their gaming chair? SE knows what they're doing better than anyone else here. What can a horde of clueless and ignorant gamers really contribute to this discussion? Not a lot, so why make this thread. It's just a avenue for SE bashing by a bunch who think they have a clue. SE has tons of experts in their fields (ie of advertising) that know the ins and outs of markets, costs, and efficiency. Yet here you are, asking the common rabble about that which they do not understand. Why Starlord, why?
You know some of us here are actually experienced. Like I run a neuro-e-marketing business. And I'm sure theres a few other people on here who have similar experience.

To get FFXIV noticed SE needs to do the following:
Change the name. A Realm Reborn makes it look like an expansion which is -not- a good thing.

Advertise like crazy. Emphasize the story. Make people want to play just to experience it. For example, a tv commercial with music like at the end of the new fight, that shows people being killed, a child being separated from their family, and then a hero running in to save the day. Say something like "A realm divided" "War approaching" "pain" ..... "suffering" ..... and then have a little girl look up from a battle field and say "we need you......" then speed up the music or switch to final fantasy battle music and cycle through images of some of the coolest landmarks really fast, then cycle through a few battles against -epic- monsters doing the coolest moves in pimp looking gear. And end with a party running, looking up, seeing a massive dragon land, and everyone drawing their weapons. Cut to the ffxiv logo and say somthing like "Final fantasy 14, new graphics, new world, new game" and then cut back to the dragon roaring.

Something like that would create a neurological emotional attachment to the game even before playing it. The little girl asking for help and the preview of a massive dragon fight would make people want to play the game just to feel like a hero. The selected pics of landmarks and short clips of fights would make the game look cooler and more epic than it really is, making people want to play it. All in all, it would be a successful advertisement or trailer.
The basic concept if make the individual watching it identify with it, remember it, and want to play it.

The best gaming companies out there have mastered the art of neuroscience driven emotional cutscenes. Skyrim did a particularly amazing job at it.