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Straight from warhammer "community":

You know that amazing new Warhammer 40,000 cinematic trailer that’s been blowing up the Internet?

Their coverage of a simple cinematic trailer has been bothering me.

It is not like the trailer was so amazingly executed. Why on earth they choose to invest money into it instead of show casing the narrative and models is beyond me; I really miss the old White Dwarf style over this overengineered corporate marketing crab.

Then, they littered the so called warhammer "community" page (a pure infomercial) with things like this:

We’re already looking forward to the many dioramas that will no doubt be lovingly constructed and painted based on events in this trailer.

What on earth is this? They showed a few models and announced a new edition and they are trying to overhype it to the point that it becomes a caricature.

Yeah, I know, don't watch if you don't like. I was looking for some information on rules and new models and I was bombarded with this trashy commercial strategy, so I figured at least I'd leave my review somewhere.

Am I alone in thinking that this is just too much?

You're surprised that a company's own website is being used to hype their new flagship product? Anyone engaging with a company's own marketing material should be fully aware it's 95% hyperbole and the rest is likely thinly veiled lies with a small amount of useful info thrown in for good measure.

YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are all very useful platforms for getting your message out to the public. The problem is that most people will engage with one of those platforms at most, making a company's efforts on other platforms seem like wasted effort to them.

I think GW's biggest mistake with the 9th edition reveal was not actually revealing enough. It was about 90 minutes long and showed off 3 models and a tiny amount of the rules. They probably needed more info in the initial marketing push and the gradual leaking of low-res images of the box set didn't help either. That seems like a misguided marketing idea.

Topic title should be "Why am I seeing ads on this advertising page?"

Slipspace wrote:
You're surprised that a company's own website is being used to hype their new flagship product? Anyone engaging with a company's own marketing material should be fully aware it's 95% hyperbole and the rest is likely thinly veiled lies with a small amount of useful info thrown in for good measure.

YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are all very useful platforms for getting your message out to the public. The problem is that most people will engage with one of those platforms at most, making a company's efforts on other platforms seem like wasted effort to them.

I think GW's biggest mistake with the 9th edition reveal was not actually revealing enough. It was about 90 minutes long and showed off 3 models and a tiny amount of the rules. They probably needed more info in the initial marketing push and the gradual leaking of low-res images of the box set didn't help either. That seems like a misguided marketing idea.

Hey, I agree that the super slow release of information to try to build hype is probably a bad idea.

That said, while it is true that what you say about most advertising, I found this case particularly bad. It was so not subtle and pushy and...

I don't know if I am just not exposed to this brand of marketing as often as you, but it made me cringe so hard.

Slipspace wrote:
You're surprised that a company's own website is being used to hype their new flagship product? Anyone engaging with a company's own marketing material should be fully aware it's 95% hyperbole and the rest is likely thinly veiled lies with a small amount of useful info thrown in for good measure.

YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are all very useful platforms for getting your message out to the public. The problem is that most people will engage with one of those platforms at most, making a company's efforts on other platforms seem like wasted effort to them.

I think GW's biggest mistake with the 9th edition reveal was not actually revealing enough. It was about 90 minutes long and showed off 3 models and a tiny amount of the rules. They probably needed more info in the initial marketing push and the gradual leaking of low-res images of the box set didn't help either. That seems like a misguided marketing idea.

Getting 70k+ people on a twitch stream isn't bad even if not showing clips which had clearly been leaked was a mistake.

I don't know really. Yes its a bit annoying, I'm a jaded non-hype person. But marketing is marketing - and if people are talking about it, even if in ways like this, I imagine someone at GW is thrilled.
There isn't much point going "yeah guys, 9th is coming, its probably gonna suck, who even plays this game anyway...."

And yeah, I'll be surprised if we don't see dioramas based on that cinematic.

 Sim-Life wrote:
Topic title should be "Why am I seeing ads on this advertising page?"

There are ads, an then there are those wh community things...

IThe are the equivalent of marine pauldrons; but I find it cringeworthy when it is an attempt to sell as opposed to a satiric take on sci fi tropes...

I think you might be alone.



I mean you don't want GW to market their products?
Or if you dislike the notion of them using a video you've clearly not been paying attention for a while - GW has been using animations for well over a year now. They've clearly got more ties today tahn in the past with animation studios and their own internal setups in media and they are using it to help market their product.

It's actually a great idea. We, already customers already well informed, aren't the target of that video. We are already sold on GW models and the game. The one the video aims to impress are newer customers and those who might not have looked at warhammer stuff - who might not be as impressed or interested in a 360 rotation view of a new model. It's also something they can put onto youtube, twitch and other streams and advertise their product. Heck if they could afford it they can thrust it onto the TV as well - and you can bet its the kind of thing that might appear alongside any DVD film they release.


Basically its using different forms of marketing to reach out to different markets and through different channels. Furthermore its a tease, its designed to get you talking (hey you're doing that right now) and thinking and interested. GW also has to spread out their news over several months - sure they could dump all the model and rule details today and it would be great. Then you've got 2 months of them not having anything "new" to interest you - by the time it comes out the hype is reduced. Instead they tease out the information steadily - GW is likely being even more steady right now because they have no guarantee that they will open in June; nor even for how long.

Tyel wrote:


I don't know really. Yes its a bit annoying, I'm a jaded non-hype person. But marketing is marketing - and if people are talking about it, even if in ways like this, I imagine someone at GW is thrilled.
There isn't much point going "yeah guys, 9th is coming, its probably gonna suck, who even plays this game anyway...."
.

I don't know what to tell you, I wasn't aware that this uberhyped approach to marketing had become the norm. I think there is a long way between "this game sucks" and "OMG OMG OMG 2 minutes of cinematic DROOOOOLL"...

Plus the new warhammer website is a pure ad, there is nothing of value there.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Overread wrote:

I mean you don't want GW to market their products?
We, already customers already well informed, aren't the target of that video. We are already sold on GW models and the game. The one the video aims to impress are newer customers and those who might not have looked at warhammer stuff - who might not be as impressed or interested in a 360 rotation view of a new model.

I think the issue is that I am not as jaded as some of you guys.

Their main product is PRECISELY that new model that you say isn't as impressive. That used to be the hobby...

Advertise the product, not some illusion.

It's something new, they've not really done a big animated intro for a new edition before from their new visual media studio. They're excited and want their teams hard work to be recognised and feel rewarded.

But they are advertising the product as well - the video is just one part of it. It's like complaining that all the boxed set games have artwork on the front cover instead of pictures of the models. The art is to catch your eye (esp if you're not already a customer) then you turn it over to the back to see the photos of the models.

Or with the marketing you follow the link to more details.

Its not much different than a video game CGI trailer.which doesn't reveal anything about the gameplay and is a common marketing ploy.

GW goal isn't to (just) sell the game to their existing customer base, it is to extend their customer base.

Maybe you re just getting older and you re seeing the manipulation more than when you were younger ?

Siegfriedfr wrote:
Its not much different than a video game CGI trailer.which doesn't reveal anything about the gameplay and is a common marketing ploy.

GW goal isn't to (just) sell the game to their existing customer base, it is to extend their customer base.

Maybe you re just getting older and you re seeing the manipulation more than when you were younger ?

I don't know if in the past few years GW has been worse about it; I don't think it is necessarily age but perhaps exposure. At the same time, I do believe that there are grades and shades and this was over the top even for modern standards.

But you're already GW's customer - you don't need fancy marketing to make you look at the new models. Heck chances are you check the site at least once a week for the new updates (probably at the weekend) anyway. You might already get White Dwarf, read Black Library and you already own models.


You just aren't the target of their Facebook Marketing campaign - they don't need to wow you with video.

That said considering that GW is pushing video animations hard and 9th edition is likely going to have several TV series (in house and external) being made alongside it; it makes perfect sense for them to launch the new edition with a short clip video of combat to announce the new models and new fancy edition.

Grey40k wrote:

I think the issue is that I am not as jaded as some of you guys.

Interesting take. Being excited by the cool CGI video trailer = jaded. Got it.

Grey40k wrote:

Tyel wrote:


I don't know really. Yes its a bit annoying, I'm a jaded non-hype person. But marketing is marketing - and if people are talking about it, even if in ways like this, I imagine someone at GW is thrilled.
There isn't much point going "yeah guys, 9th is coming, its probably gonna suck, who even plays this game anyway...."
.

I don't know what to tell you, I wasn't aware that this uberhyped approach to marketing had become the norm. I think there is a long way between "this game sucks" and "OMG OMG OMG 2 minutes of cinematic DROOOOOLL"...

Plus the new warhammer website is a pure ad, there is nothing of value there.

OK, serious question: what do you expect to see on a website for the just-announced new edition of 40k? Remember, this isn't to directly sell the game (the GW webstore does that) and it will always be limited to the information they've revealed so far. I assume as time goes on that website will get more detail about how the game works and more info about rules for the models in the box (or maybe direct you to WHC for that instead) but I'm genuinely curious what you expect a commercial organisation's site promoting their brand new, just-announced product to be like.

The psychological warfare form of advertising has been around a long time now. See Edward Bernays.

Unfortunately, it generally works.

Crispy78 wrote:

Grey40k wrote:

I think the issue is that I am not as jaded as some of you guys.

Interesting take. Being excited by the cool CGI video trailer = jaded. Got it.

Yeah... that's the weirdest spin I have ever seen...

Grey40k wrote:

Siegfriedfr wrote:
Its not much different than a video game CGI trailer.which doesn't reveal anything about the gameplay and is a common marketing ploy.

GW goal isn't to (just) sell the game to their existing customer base, it is to extend their customer base.

Maybe you re just getting older and you re seeing the manipulation more than when you were younger ?

I don't know if in the past few years GW has been worse about it; I don't think it is necessarily age but perhaps exposure. At the same time, I do believe that there are grades and shades and this was over the top even for modern standards.

Nope, it's just unrealistic expectations.

"GW caught talking up it's own products on it's own website?...won't somebody PLEASE think of the children".

Slipspace wrote:


OK, serious question: what do you expect to see on a website for the just-announced new edition of 40k? Remember, this isn't to directly sell the game (the GW webstore does that) and it will always be limited to the information they've revealed so far. I assume as time goes on that website will get more detail about how the game works and more info about rules for the models in the box (or maybe direct you to WHC for that instead) but I'm genuinely curious what you expect a commercial organisation's site promoting their brand new, just-announced product to be like.

I'd expect links to proper painting guides, some "fluff", more on how it plays on the table top. Of course links to products are expected.

I think you folks understand perfectly well what I mean. I am not surprised that they run ads on their new edition, I am surprised by the tone of it; I am exposed to ads much like we all are, I do not often see things as overblown as this.

I have long stopped reading white dwarf but, let me assure you, the tone has changed much over the years.

I do not like the way they launched 9th edition, but I understand well the strategy they adopted.

If you like it, more power to you. I do not and after reading some of the pearls in warcom I felt compelled to complain about it; I got it out of the system now, all good.

"I'd expect links to proper painting guides, some "fluff", more on how it plays on the table top. Of course links to products are expected."



Best estimates are that 9th ed is probably 2 months away. There's plenty of time in 2 months to show all those things. That's the best estimations, GW might have to extend that without much warning if they can't speed up production enough or if they can slammed with orders etc... There's loads of reasons why things are happening differently this time around - mostly due to Corona.

It's just like how earlier in the year they had a big release event that they split the news up for from 1 weeks coverage to 4 weeks.


Part of building hype is managing it so that you start strong, but leave a lot to build up too. Building up and up until launch day. If you build it too fast early on and then a release date slips and then lockdown hits etc... you can end up blowing all the hype you've invested into before people can get the product. Many a small firm has leaked and shown pre-release info on an upcoming product only to miss their dates - go into silent mode and have nothing to say for weeks/months. All the hype they had dwindles down. Core fans are still hooked but now agitated/frustrated; whilst potential fans moved onto something else.

Grey40k wrote:
Straight from warhammer "community":

You know that amazing new Warhammer 40,000 cinematic trailer that’s been blowing up the Internet?

Their coverage of a simple cinematic trailer has been bothering me.

It is not like the trailer was so amazingly executed. Why on earth they choose to invest money into it instead of show casing the narrative and models is beyond me; I really miss the old White Dwarf style over this overengineered corporate marketing crab.

Then, they littered the so called warhammer "community" page (a pure infomercial) with things like this:

We’re already looking forward to the many dioramas that will no doubt be lovingly constructed and painted based on events in this trailer.

What on earth is this? They showed a few models and announced a new edition and they are trying to overhype it to the point that it becomes a caricature.

Yeah, I know, don't watch if you don't like. I was looking for some information on rules and new models and I was bombarded with this trashy commercial strategy, so I figured at least I'd leave my review somewhere.

Am I alone in thinking that this is just too much?

The trailer was not the only advertising though. Did you tune into the actual 2.5 hour show of which the trailer was only a small part? Because they did talk in broad terms about rules. The "9 Things" video sounds a little more like what you were looking for; it was also a part of the 2.5 hour unveiling, but has also been posted separately. The show also included previews of some of the new models.

Did you tune in for the Q&A on Tuesday? Even more discussion of rules on that one, but still a little vague; they do have to leave themselves some details to talk about as release day gets closer.

I've seen pics of all the new models since, so that too has been done. It seems to me like maybe you didn't actually see ALL of the marketing that was done; some of it did exactly the things that you are disappointed that the trailer didn't do.

The reason GW invested in the trailer is simple; they now have wireframe models and textures for SoB, Crons and Primaris. If you think that IP won't be remapped onto a motion capture actor to make new movies and cartoons, then I think you're severely underestimating the team. You have seen all the Blood Angels movie stuff and heard about the potential Eisenhorn TV show right? These graphics are a part of that, plus GW's extensive suite of video games. Don't worry, money wasn't "wasted" GW is going to milk that multimedia content for years.

And finally, I'm a sisters player. I don't know how familiar you are with the ongoing saga of how Sisters players felt shafted for seventeen years, and how finally everything is okay. And then Woops! New edition. It's happened so often it's a running joke. Make no mistake, that video was, at least in part for us. It was GW saying, "Yeah guys, you know what, we did do it to you again, didn't we. Sorry about that. We want you to know that we are still thinking about you, and that the attention you got in 8th does not mean you're going to be marginalized for another 17 years."

And AS a Sisters player, I can tell you it meant a lot to me. Plus the actual depiction of an act of faith on screen was BADA$$!

Meh.

My only real issue of the add is it still felt like it was stroking marine player peen despite it should of being a bigger deal for necron players.

But at least the Google Translate version going around is fun.

I think Sisters in the trailer was less GW wanting to ease their fears at having the most out of date codex (since most o the codex are all darn new anyway); but more them really focusing on SOB marketing. GW has invested perhaps double or more their normal resources and investment into the SOB revamp. Most armies get half or less what Sisters got in new kits and updates in one go when they get updated.

And that's on an old army that, as you say, had been ignored for years and years prior to that and was likely not selling brilliantly.

GW took a bigger gamble and I think that shaped their planned marketing to follow. They shaped it with several special edition models for SOB; the video we saw; a reprint of a SOB comicbook series. They are maximising attention on the army so that not only are old fans rewarded, but that many new people are drawn and attracted to building that army as well. Making it partly the new posterchild in terms of marketing hype really will help drive attention and sales on them.

It's GW ensuring that their massive investment didn't flop. Which is good for both GW and gamers in general.

Oh man, this 14yr old has no idea how the world works lol.

PenitentJake wrote:

The trailer was not the only advertising though. Did you tune into the actual 2.5 hour show of which the trailer was only a small part? Because they did talk in broad terms about rules. The "9 Things" video sounds a little more like what you were looking for; it was also a part of the 2.5 hour unveiling, but has also been posted separately. The show also included previews of some of the new models.


And AS a Sisters player, I can tell you it meant a lot to me. Plus the actual depiction of an act of faith on screen was BADA$$!

I am glad you are getting new models. If you like the sculpts, this is a treat for you.

I still think the trailer was just meh, and that the overemphasis on it by warcom felt lame. That thing is hardly blowing up the internet....

I also think that given that this is a table top wargame with a strong hobby component, the cinematic is out of place. I get that they want to reah younger audiences and so on, but it felt like something straight out of a video game preview.

But, either way, I guess that is the full steam ahead corporate GW ship...

Yes GW's marketing is gimmicky and silly. However, that's not unique to GW by any means, and you don't have to engage with it, watch it, or read it to partake in the game and the larger 40k universe.

Oh also to cut the sisters helmet in half like a coconut... Her head will be in two parts...

C'mon guys, feels like lots of misrepresentation of OP here. Yes, GW is new to cinematic-type trailers and relatively new to marketing and comms. (and go overboard with the hype at times). But on most warcom posts there's at least some wink-wink nudge-nudge aspect that isn't full-on unadulterated consumerism. The treatment of this trailer feels different in that regard... how many of this new influx of fans that are being marketed to here are doing dioramas? How many of the old guard grognards are blown away by this... honestly kind of average trailer? Just feels like this wasn't the slam dunk reveal GW thinks it was (and contrary to what somebody said in this thread, not all marketing is equal...)

Just my two cents.

I can't help but smirk when I remember when the stream showed the Dawn of Fire 'trailer' which was literally just the cover of the book and whats-his-name had to force a, "We just saw a fantastic trailer!" or something to that effect.

I find GW is generally quite cringe...only exceptions being when they manage to properly poke fun at themselves. It's 2020 though, cringe is...common.