Hendrix statue plays Guitar Hero — Activision goes too far?
Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 10:09am by Jack
I love Guitar Hero, and I plan on buying World Tour later this year, but I’m having a hard time understanding this marketing ploy by Activision. It’s a weird mish mash of vandalism, cheapness, bad taste and quick thinking (you know Rock Band’s guys had the same idea cooking in their heads too). Seriously, that’s the same posterboard stuff I can buy at my local CVS. Then again, it was quick thinking, and a lot of people like GH. Like I said, I’m torn… (hence the humor tag)
June 11th, 2008 at 10:46 am
not really offensive to me. It’s not his grave site and Hendrix wasn’t a holy entity or an honorable political hero but merely a great guitarist.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Bad taste… yet i cant shake the feeling that had i been in marketing for Activision i wouldn’t only have come up with something like this… i would probably also made some air guitars movements before snapping the pic and running away giggling.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Just seeing that reminds me how awesome Hendrix is.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Yeah, classic Seattle music.
torn…Rip Torn…yeah, good pun.
June 11th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
rubbish. hendrix > guitar hero.
June 11th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
This is just total disrespect to Hendrix.
June 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Lifeisaglitch, tylor, Damien - chill out.
Cmon. Learn to take a joke!
Wow. I think you need to find a way to get that chip off your shoulder. Now especially.
June 11th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Hendrix doesn’t need to play Guitar Hero…. he IS a guitar hero!!1
June 11th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
doesnt bother me. why does marketing have to be expensive? and what does how long it took you to think it up have to do with anything.
its tacky, but good marketing i guess.
June 11th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
It doesn’t matter to me. The man set his guitars on fire. If he didn’t mind doing that I doubt he would mind a few stickers on a statue of his.
Plus, the stickers come off right?
June 11th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
This is downright insulting. This is defacing the late Jimi Hendrix! You simply do not make a tongue-in-cheek graffiti joke to any dead person, icon or not. This is simply unforgivable.
I don’t think another Guitar Hero product will enter my house again.
June 11th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Proof that activision really did this? Could be anyone, or a photoshop.
June 11th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Hmm…I’m not 100% convinced this is real. The shadows being cast by the foam board pieces don’t look entirely correct.
But if is real, I don’t really care. What’s a few stickers on a statue? It’s not like they dug Hendrix’s skeleton out of the ground, attached it to strings, and made it dance around to Brittany Spears tunes or anything.
And whose to say that Activision did this?
June 11th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Insulting? seriously? It’s a crappy statue. I think its funny and it might be a prank rather than marketing. even if it is, whatev’s.
I’m sure there were some people who think putting Hendrix in a video game is a disgrace to him. If it’s too digital you’re too old, man!
June 11th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
holy crap, Gojiguy - you must be making a joke right? if you’re not, lighten up. jeez.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Jimmy Hend-who???
June 12th, 2008 at 5:26 am
While a few stickers isn’t a big deal it’s still fairly disrespectful. They’re using a national icon to help advertise their product. It wouldn’t be a big deal if the person gives you permission to do this but seeing how he’s dead I doubt thats the case here.
Plus I thought the whole Idea of GH was that it gives you the illusion of being a famous rock legend. However Hendrix WAS a famous rock legend. So wouldn’t playing guitar hero be incredibly beneath him?
June 12th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
jeez people. this strikes me as that “viral” marketing that the kids are always talking about. if not, take it as someone calling hendrix a guitar hero. grow up, and understand the purpose. if you’re offended, congrats - you are now gonna talk about it, and someone who *hasn’t* heard of GH is now gonna look for it, and probably play it. hence, “viral”. if you’ve got an issue, keep it to yourself.
June 13th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Well first off, if this wasnt a big corporation (ie $$$$ involved) and some kids doing it, it would be graffiti.
Two, Hendrix probably would like some dosh for promoting this game. Oh wait, he’s dead and can’t say what or what he doesn’t wanna endorse.
So whats next? a Hitman advert on a statue of JFK?
June 13th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
don’t see anything really wrong with this. if anything at all they are giving him the proper homage as a guitar hero and probably partial inspiration for the game in the first place. i don’t see anything insulting about it, so to me it’s no biggie because it’s not permanent just some foam board and tape, it’s not spray paint or like someone chopped off the head of the statue, pissed on it, and said rock n’ roll sucks. maybe if it was a bottle of gin and a bandana full of lsd it would be an insult to his honor. also the hitman/JFK comparison is apples and oranges buddy, this was quick witted free advertisement and in no way degrades the memory of Jimmy or the fashion of his demise. people don’t be so sensative….