We Need Another Kevin Butler

Default Prime's Alex Carlson examines the lasting legacy of the famed Playstation spokesman and why video game advertising needs another figure like him.

"Video game advertising has become both a legacy and a circus, where companies have repeatedly tried multiple ad campaigns to find that perfect storm of product marketability and consumer approval. But when gaming advertising was deep into this generation, Sony brought out a goofy, tie-wearing VP named Kevin Butler and the advertising standard made a serious paradigm shift."

[Donnieboi]

Sony did fine before him, and his adverts didn't sell any more systems. It was just hardcore fans (the types to get on forums or make n4g accounts--like us) who cared about Butler. Sony doesn't need him.

[-Mika-]

Actually, Ps3 sales did improve with Kevin Butler. He was loved by casuals and us hardcore fans. If sony haven't screwed him the way they did. We would still be seeing his awesome ads on tv.

[Snookies12]

Sony didn't really screw him. Butler (I know that's not his real name, but yeah...) himself even said he was at fault for it, if I'm not mistaken. Either that, or he said there were no hard feelings over it.

[iGAM3R-VIII]

We do not need another Kevin Butler, BUT if we got those people from the Old Spice commercials THEN I assure you, our lives will be better.

loool

[ScubbaSteve]

Most of the younger people on here probably don't understand contracts and what is put in them. It's pretty standard to have a non-compete clause that restricts the employee from doing pretty much anything that can be considered as competing with their former employer for a length of time. So did Sony screw him? No, that was all laid out for him when he was hired most likely.

[aviator189]

I disagree.
As an xbox owner, I knew who the guy was when he came on during a ps3 ad.
But one of my friends and mom (who both are just casual gamers...yes, my mom too) who saw the ad with Kevin Butler immediately found him catchy and convincing. Then, next Christmas- both of them had bought ps3's.

So...I'm pretty sure Butler has widespread appeal, imo.

[OlgerO]

How hard can it be to get a better guy then Butler to promote your systems, I dont see what the big deal is about this guy.

[rainslacker]

Why get another Keven Butler when you can get the original instead. He's an actor, I'm sure he likes having steady work.

[Axonometri]

I'll be you're Huckelberry!

[Heisenburger]

*spins small cup around on index finger*

Val Kilmer is the man!

[Axonometri]

Thank you! All disagrees until you caught my drift...

[CanadianTurtle]

Honestly, I didn't find any of his jokes/punch lines funny.

Sony doesn't need KB. They just need to continue what they're doing, which is putting out outstanding exclusives and content. As for marketing. If a game ends up being really good, the whole internet will market the game for you

I'm seeing a new trend where they're showing video game trailers in movie theaters. That could help.

[SpiralTear]

"If a game ends up being really good, the whole internet will market the game for you."

But to what extent? That didn't happen with amazing games like Shadows of the Damned. The internet may be able to contribute to the promotion, but a game's quality is not necessarily proportional to its eventual sales.

As for video game trailers in movie theaters, that's been around for a long, LONG time. The first video game footage I saw in a movie theater was Donkey Kong 64 in 1999.

[rainslacker]

Think the first was Final Fantasy 7 in 1997. Pretty epic trailers when viewing them on the big screen.:)

[r21]

Dont want another, I want the great old Kevin Butler that did that epic speech at E3.

[caseh]

That speech was pretty epic lol, especially the section with the 'hero' music playing in the background haha...pew! pew! pew!

[r21]

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Just rewatched it...and its still as epic as it was :'D

Really sad how he went out :C

[SaffronCurse]

I'm not gonna lie, I miss Him.

[M-M]

We have Mark Cerny now =).

[RioKing]

OH GOD

[rainslacker]

LOL, I'm trying to imagine Cerny coming out and making snarky comments like Butler. Somehow it just doesn't seem to fit.

[Jek_Porkins]

He was funny, but you never got to see the actual games, just some joke or something. I remember they did that terrible Resistance 3 commercial with no gameplay! They can do much better.

[Agent_hitman]

I recommend Jimmy Falon.

[Sharius]

Kevin Butler for the president!!!!!!

[SandWitch]

What about Maya Butler?

[TheOneEyedHound]

We need a mobster(like the 1800 tequila commercials).

Now you know what would be delightful? If M$ got him for there ads, renaming him(Zony's Butler)

[SKUD]

I'd say bring back CRASH but that would be considered BC. People hate BC.

[Drainage]

he is a wii u fan screw butler that traitor

[Enigma_2099]

Screw that. We don't need another Kevin Butler... WE NEED KEVIN BUTLER!!!