Ahh, viral marketing. Sometimes it's wildly successful, but, more often than not, it's the butt of the internet for months. However, this doesn't seem to be stopping Codemasters, the developers behind DiRT: Colin McRae Off-Road, from whipping up their own little guerilla advertising scheme.

Flickr, the most easy-to-use and voyeuristic photo-sharing community since sliced bread, is the proud new owner of shabby viral marketing. Enter Dirty1CMD, ostensibly a fan of the Colin McRae series who is salivating at the thought of its next installment. Not only is he like soo stoked about this game, but he wants you to be too:

Basically every crash is spectacularly different and harrowing enough to leave you wide eyed, jaw dropped and sweaty handed.

Whether or not this sounds higly suggestive of something entirely different than off-road racing is beside the point. The point is that Mr. Dirty's entire profile reads like a heavy handed press release. Even worse is his preemptive apology:

I've not added anybody as a contact who wasn't into Rally, cars or Videogames.

Sorry if anybody feels like they've been spammed. I've tried to be subtle.

You tried to be subtle? You have failed, sir. Now, don't get me wrong, I love viral marketing as much as the next guy, but, Codemasters, c'mon. At least make a fake blog or something. Oh, and if you guys were wondering, the game comes out in June.

[Via thebbps, big thanks to Topher for the 'shop.]