A Lesson in Advertising: High Velocity Bowling Promo Makes You Feel Like a Penniless Gutter Rat

Now, the problem here is figuring out whether these commercials market products to that section of the population or whether it's selling the dream to those less fortunate. No doubt the domestic angle is intended to bring in a female audience.

"Can't get your kids together for five seconds? Remember the good old days when families used to eat dinner and discuss the day around the dining room table? And what of family game night?"

Well, the last of those is probably the most poignant. The young parents of today probably didn't do a whole lot of eating-around-the-table, either, but they probably do remember playing board games, and now the bill of goods being sold to them is the idea that video games can replicate that togetherness -- an odd sentiment that puts the "inclusive" aspects of technology against the wide swath of similarly-distracting devices we tend to spend our time with in this day and age.

"Sure, get your kids off their cellphones! Stop the Facebooking! They don't need to Twitter when it's time for video games!"

But even if the details have changed, the basic story remains the same. A product, when advertised in this manner, becomes a miracle. Buy it, and your life will be perfect. But the recession has changed our response to that sort of marketing, which makes me wonder if the following archetype (a new promo for the freshly-released High Velocity Bowling) is worth reinforcing anymore:

Look at this family! Just look at them. The parents are clearly young, urban professionals. Their kids are darling, if a little precocious. They have a nice, modern house with hardwood floors and an open floor plan (god, how many times have I heard those desires expressed while my girlfriend watches HGTV?). They cheer each other on after every roll, they've got all of the latest (Sony) gadgets, and what's this? They even have a 3DTV! 

Zounds! Not a hint of stress or strife in the world!

Watch the commercial again, and tell me if they're really trying to sell you a bowling game, or if they're trying to sell you on something more... "external." Something that happens, like an aura washing over your family, as soon as you bring this thing into your household.

Sony is not the only offender, of course. Not in the gaming world, and certainly not in the advertising world at large. But I can't help but believe this is a turn-off to most consumers in this day and age. I think far too many of us are cynical about our own financial prospects to be swayed by such a classic technique any longer.

Then again, I'm a big fan of selling with humor. After all, humor is the revelation of truth, sometimes that we don't often acknowledge or fully understand, and it serves as a remedy during hard times. Make us laugh, Sony. That's why the Kevin Butler ads work so well! And the Move ads featuring him are directly lampooning the very family-focused marketing beast on display right here.

It's bowling, not a religious experience.