If there’s a marketing opportunity to be exploited, you can bet that Spike and the producers of the network’s annual Video Game Awards will be there to take advantage of it — no matter how absurd it may seem. I can just imagine the conversation that took place between them and EA Sports’ marketing department a few weeks ago:
EA Sports: As you know, we just announced that we’re making a new NFL Blitz game. It’ll be available for $15 on January 4–
Spike: Yeah, yeah, I heard ya. Football game. Whaddya got for me?
EA Sports: Um, we’d like to work with you to promote it on the VGAs.
Spike: Yuh-huh, you and every schmuck with something due out in oh-twelve.
EA Sports: …
Spike: Twenty-twelve. Next year. Uh-doyyy.
EA Sports: Right. Well, we have three candidates for the game’s cover — Ray Rice, Patrick Willis, and Roddy White — and we were thinking of getting your viewers to vote during the show to pick one.
Spike: … and?
EA Sports: I should note that it’s a virtual cover, so to speak, since the game’s coming out on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network.
Spike: [blank stare]
EA Sports: Oh, and we can get Hall of Famer Jerry Rice to announce the winner, live on the air.
Spike: Great! We’ll just move another award or two into the montage. Where do I sign?
