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[Axass]

What was Major Nelson saying lately about stopping the hate towards companies?

Yeah, how can you not hate something as shady as this?

 

[ViciousDS]

So, lets see what the FTC have to say, in their own words:

Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Yep, look at Section 255.5, if they don't disclose that they have been materially compensated for the promotion, they have broken the law.

Interestingly, Example 7 is specifically about Video Games & Videogame hardware.
Oh, let the games begin.

My fingers are ready to report!

 

[Dire]

Some details about the deal have surfaced,

Source,
http://www.igameresponsibly.com/201...personalities-good-money-to-promote-xbox-one/

Wow that is beyond disgusting. I can't believe people didn't pick up on what's going on here.

1.25 million views is a total of $3,750 to be distributed. It will be filled in no time. They're simply banking on people leaving the videos up generating millions of additional unpaid impressions for Microsoft.

 

[IcyEyes]

nvm.

 

[Metalmurphy]

So basically, trust nothing on Youtube until the 9th of Feb.

 

[PotionBleue]

So basically, trust nothing on Youtube until the 9th of Feb.

More like trust nothing from monetized videos.

It's especially hilarious when you look back at the Content ID whining.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

I don't really get what's wrong with this. Sounds like a very efficient way to market a product.

I think something else important to consider in regards this is that a lot of people (at least for a while) did see Youtube LPers and reviewers as a sort of "last bastion" of unsolicitated journalism. That's in addition to independent sites like Rock, Paper, Shotgun etc. But let's focus on Youtube for a moment.

If I'm watching a video from OTG, Cobermani or DSP, I know that by and large their opinion on a game or console is their honest opinion. I can't necessarily go to Polygon or IGN and expect the same; I know that dollars are involved in their opinions to a significant degree. I like honest opinions, not bought ones. If MS can convince these LPers (that's who they are aiming for I assume, given they're hardcore gamers and have lots of exposure, they want XBO to have that cred and exposure) to promote their product in a similar way to what you'd find in an infomercial, I have one less channel to get honest opinions that haven't been ultimately purchased with corporate dollars.

Like I said before, it's a crass tactic, but smart (in a conniving way). No one's blind to the Content ID bullshit going on w/ LPers and such on Youtube right now. That will directly affect their revenue streams. Now here is MS in a timely manner offering a supplement for some of that lost revenue, so long as they get something out of it too (XBO "grassroots" style advertising).

Personally, advertising should start from the corporation, and end with the advertising firms. Paying your actual customers money to promote your own product takes it on a slippery slope regarding ethics, and will create an environment where only companies with the most money can succeed, even if they have the worst ideas. I don't like that, plain and simple.

 

[CREMSteve]

What was Major Nelson saying lately about stopping the hate towards companies?

Yeah, how can you not hate something as shady as this?

I have to agree with this.

 

[ChryZ]

'Hello Influencers!'

what ... the ... fuck

 

[3rdamention]

What was Major Nelson saying lately about stopping the hate towards companies?

Yeah, how can you not hate something as shady as this?

Honestly, I thought he would have responded in here by now. He responded in "hate has to stop" thread pretty quick, and I thought he would come in here and say this is all some big misunderstanding and this is not their promotion.

 

[DeaviL]

Hmmm, maybe i should have made a thread like i thought a few days ago.
A friend of mine told me Machinima said he'd earn 30$ if he promoted the Xbone.

 

[King Beyond the wall]

So will the videos which incorporate this promotion be forced to have a disclaimer that what we are watching is effectively an advert? Or will they just pretend it is their honest opinion?

 

[DoubleTake]

Hmmm, maybe i should have made a thread like i thought a few days ago.
A friend of mine told me Machinima said he'd earn 30$ if he promoted the Xbone.

You should ask him the guidelines they laid out for him. Was he told to disclose in the video that the promotion or material was brought to you by Microsoft/Xbox?

 

[IcyEyes]

nvm.

 

[Dire]

Another thing, in fairness to Machinima, you could make a video completely bashing the Xbox One, put XB1M13 in the title and still get the CPM bonus. It doesn't have to be positive or fake advertising.

Requirement 4 is calling to you: "4. Follow the guidelines listed in the assignment."

Of course they haven't been leaked yet, but I think it's safe to assume the worst until proven otherwise with Microsoft now a days.

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

am I right in guessing he's being paid as an astroturfer?

Absolutely correct. And the more I see of this, the more I am really becoming disgruntled with Microsoft's tactics and vision for the XBO.

 

[krypt0nian]

I guess banning all the astroturfers here made them rethink their indoctrination plans.

 

[plasmawave]

Honestly, I thought he would have responded in here by now. He responded in "hate has to stop" thread pretty quick, and I thought he would come in here and say this is all some big misunderstanding and this is not their promotion.

I can't wait for the truth to come out.

- Major Nelson

 

[Osiris]

I guess banning all the astroturfers here made them rethink relocate their indoctrination plans.

Fixed.

 

[Marcel]

'Hello Influencers!'

what ... the ... fuck

What, did you for some reason think Youtube people were above wanting to influence public opinion for money?

 

[Osiris]

What, did you for some reason think Youtube people were above wanting to influence public opinion for money?

Well, one thing is for sure, the next time I see a moan or whinge about Googles actions affecting their ability to monetize their videos I'm gonna dismiss it in nanoseconds, all of their integrity has gone out of the window.

 

[qa_engineer]

Aka $3 CPM

 

[DragonSworne]

They'd get more views and money by releasing negative xbox one videos.

 

[stonesak]

Sorry if I'm stupid, but what is XB1M13? I guess it's some tag that was used before too? Because there's a whole lot of these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=xb1m13&search_sort=video_date_uploaded

First video I watched made no mention of being compensated by MS. So either it wasn't part of a program, the video didn't meat the criteria so the maker wasn't compensated, or it's payola. Will watch a few more and see.

 

[Archaix]

Microsoft has been at the front of paying for videos for a long time. Look up how many Youtube channels just happened to cover every godawful Summer of Live game last year, especially channels that almost never cover console or new releases. Including channels like Game Grumps, who flat out lied in every video about being paid for it.

 

[Donos]

I know this is slightly off topic, but I have someone on my facebook who I know from school - he basically posts stories about the xbone every day, has a xbone related profile photo, has been console warrioring about it, dismissing the PS4 (for example, in one argument he stated that the lower cost of the PS4 is irrelevant because you need to buy the PlayStation Camera at £50 for it to match the power of the XBone), and now I look back through his history, he posted at one point that he received a cheque for £1,000 from Microsoft. He also got all the launch titles.

am I right in guessing he's being paid as an astroturfer? And no, I'm not making this shit up. It's just strange to see just how wide a net they're throwing.

dude, you went to school with Gies? Nice.

 

[Marcel]

Microsoft has been at the front of paying for videos for a long time. Look up how many Youtube channels just happened to cover every godawful Summer of Live game last year, especially channels that almost never cover console or new releases. Including channels like Game Grumps, who flat out lied in every video about being paid for it.

.

 

[Pelydr]

What was Major Nelson saying lately about stopping the hate towards companies?

Yeah, how can you not hate something as shady as this?

Dont worry he and Albert Penello will totally be back soon with brand new lies!

 

[Audioboxer]

Some details about the deal have surfaced,

Source,
http://www.igameresponsibly.com/201...personalities-good-money-to-promote-xbox-one/

And what are the guidelines listed in the assignment? "Do not say anything bad"? :/ .....

 

[Kyuur]

Some details about the deal have surfaced,

Source,
http://www.igameresponsibly.com/201...personalities-good-money-to-promote-xbox-one/

Depending on the guidelines, this sounds fine. If they are doing 'any publicity is good publicity' and the content isn't restricted to good opinions only, I see no problem with this.

 

[Sons Of Anarchy]

I doubt major or Albert will respond here and if they do it will likely be a routine MS spin comment.

 

[Marcel]

I doubt major or Albert will respond here and if they do it will likely be a routine MS spin comment.

Why would they? This kind of payola is pretty much par for the course. Panello is only needed when facts need skewing in service of a console launch.

 

[Frolow]

Some details about the deal have surfaced,

Source,
http://www.igameresponsibly.com/201...personalities-good-money-to-promote-xbox-one/

That's it? People are blowing this whole thing out of proportion.

 

[Scrooged]

So basically, trust nothing on Youtube until the 9th of Feb.

Or if this offends you so much just avoid videos tagged with XB1M13.

 

[PaineReign]

3 dollars per 1K views? Doesn't seem worth the trouble.

I heard in passing at some point that 1 million views with ads nets the creator of the video $2000, so MS paying $3000 per million is only a bit more than any other advertiser, and since this is with Machinama they are directly focusing on their target market. Seems smart to me.

 

[Osiris]

Or if this offends you so much just avoid videos tagged with XB1M13.

Or you could report them to the FTC if they fail to follow disclosure guidelines, for the lulz

 

[Martian]

I dont understand whats angering people so much here.

Didnt you think this was happening before?
Personally I think its a rather smart marketing move, and hell, if people want to market like this, let them go ahead.

This has probably been happening since the beginning of youtube gaming, and they were getting sponsored by getting free games or consoles.
Nothing new under the sun

 

[Doffen]

That's it? People are blowing this whole thing out of proportion.

This.

 

[Marcel]

That's it? People are blowing this whole thing out of proportion.

I can't blame people for not wanting payola in the stuff they enjoy watching on YT. The real problem is people acting like certain Youtube personalities were trustworthy to begin with. They weren't.

 

[Uno Venova]

That's it? People are blowing this whole thing out of proportion.

when you think about it people should be more open to payola, give these companies a chance

 

[stonesak]

I dont understand whats angering people so much here.

Didnt you think this was happening before?
Personally I think its a rather smart marketing move, and hell, if people want to market like this, let them go ahead.

This has probably been happening since the beginning of youtube gaming, and they were getting sponsored by getting free games or consoles.
Nothing new under the sun

If you are receiving compensation for playing/endorsing/reviewing a game and do not reveal that you were compensated, it's illegal. I've watched 5 of the tagged videos and none have mentioned if they were compensated. That's the problem people have.

Edit: Holy shit, there's a payola defense force?

 

[Marcel]

when you think about it people should be more open to payola, give these companies a chance

These corporations are doing us a favor! Come on guys. MS is our buddy.

 

[Zombie James]

Oh boy, a payola scheme. Pretty sad they had to resort to this.

 

[Osiris]

If you are receiving compensation for playing/endorsing/reviewing a game and do not reveal that you were compensated, it's illegal. I've watched 5 of the tagged videos and none have mentioned if they were compensated. That's the problem people have.

Edit: Holy shit, there's a payola defense force?

You should know by now that there's a defense force for everything.

 

[DeaviL]

You should ask him the guidelines they laid out for him. Was he told to disclose in the video that the promotion or material was brought to you by Microsoft/Xbox?

I think he had a limited understanding of the rules of said deal.
He merely said he would get 30$ if he promoted it.

 

[rawd]

Makes you wonder how much Sessler cashes out

 

[Marcel]

I think he had a limited understanding of the rules of said deal.
He merely said he would get 30$ if he promoted it.

Seems like your friend saw a dollar amount and stopped reading. That's probably about as much as some of the popular YT personalities do.

 

[The Ps4 Looks Great]

I'm ok with this, nothing wrong with extra $$$ for selling out

 

[protonion]

Sales must have really taken a nose dive.

 

[Junior Mint]

Seems about right for Microsoft.