Greetings all.

We are discussing in college about Lara Croft's appearance in the Lucozade advert.

Do you guys think it is ethically appropriate?

The fact that Lara Croft is a video game character makes us wonder why she appears on a Healthy Fitness Energy Drink??

Would you be more or less likely to buy Lucozade after seeing that advert?

Is the image associated with a brand or product a good or bad reason for purchasing such a product?

Some fans of Lara Croft consider her to have 'Sold out' by being part of the Lucozade advertising campaign, Would you agree with this? If so please tell us why !

Here is the actual advert. View and examine. Then please give us your thoughts on this advert.

I call out to all gamers for their opinions on this matter. Any opinion will much appreciated!.

Thanks. LucozadeMan.

Well, The Tomb raider franchise hasn't always had alot of money. In fact they got popular from Sony after releasing TR1 on the PS1. So perhaps they grabbed as much money as they could and the ad's were just a perfect oportunity...

Lucozade would use lara because she was a thin (thats important shows that she drinks it and has a great body image) model that most people had seen before. and both "products" had the same target audience (or age range)... Maybe because many people had seen Lara before and not tried Lucozade that could boost the product sales?

Or maybe the other way around. BUT

I think wouldnt matter to the sales if she starred in the ad look at the credit card ad. Why would that boost the sales???

Edited November 16, 200718 yr by Fusion

Lara does make sense as a choice for Lucozade to advertise their product, even though she is a video game character. She's extremely recognisable, to the point where people who've never picked up a video game in their lives would have a good chance of recognising her, and it's well-known that she's an active adventurer type of video game character.

I was definitely influenced to buy Lucozade after seeing the adverts on TV. I still buy Lucozade these days because it's "Lara's drink" I think that the image associated with a brand definitely influences our choices, although it's probably not the best reason for choosing to buy a product. Of course, if Lucozade was absolutely vile not even Lara could get me to drink it more than once. Good advertising may influence me to buy a product, but having a bad experience with the product will make me extremely reluctant to use that product again, no matter what image is associated with it.

I don't consider the character to have "sold out" by appearing in television adverts; it's to be expected really. She is one of the most recognisable video game characters, and her appearing in adverts doesn't bother me any more than it does when sportsmen and -women or actors I like appear in adverts. In fact, I rather like watching adverts with Lara in them, as long as they treat the character respectfully and are true to the character established in the games, and as long as it's not over done, with advert after advert featuring her.

I've tried Lucozade it tastes terrible imo I doubt she'd drink it by choice lol

If eidos finds a brand respectable to the Tomb Raider brand I say go for it.

I'm sure eidos makes every attempt to keep Lara respectable.

Hmm yes very interesting views.

Thank you to Tom, Shrensh and fusion for your responses as they will help me raise questions in my discussion and focus groups.

What I thought was interesting that Shrensh said 'Lara does make sense as a choice for Lucozade to advertise their product' I would like to know why it makes that sense.

Also Fusion, you say that the tomb raider did not become a successul franchise until they released Tomb Raider on the PS1 ? Where did Tomb Raider appear before this release?

Interesting points here... Keep 'em commin' !!

Thanks again.

LucozadeMan.

What I thought was interesting that Shrensh said 'Lara does make sense as a choice for Lucozade to advertise their product' I would like to know why it makes that sense.

Like I said, Lara is extremely recognisable, even to those who don't play the games, and even those who don't play the games know what sort of games she's in (an active adventurer makes sense to advertise an energy drink). Plus, I imagine that them using Lara was because they wanted to attract a young audience with disposable income, which they'd get with the video game players. That's my take on it anyway. I don't usually think about these things very much

It started on PC and Sega Saturn first

Also Fusion, you say that the tomb raider did not become a successul franchise until they released Tomb Raider on the PS1 ? Where did Tomb Raider appear before this release?

Thanks again.

LucozadeMan.

The first Tomb Raider was released initially onto the PS1 and some other ancient gaming console (dreamcast i think). But TR was helped by Sony and vice versa. So TR gained popularity from the PS1 and Lucozade picked up TR after it's success from Sony (this is all my speculation) and I believe this happened because of money issues.

BUT

The TR1 model (live model image) did a nude photo shoot with playboy and Eidos demanded they recall the magazine cause the headline said Lara Croft nude or something to that effect without them giving consent. so you could argue that they wern't so desperate for money having the magazine recalled when it could boost their sales... But to be fair I doubt they would have recieved royalties from Playboy for the shoot and it is a childrens game (i use that loosely because of the violence)

all this is on the special edition disks that came with TR Anniversary (which I cant find on youtube :s)

wow I'm tired now too much thought