# GW Hires an Advertising company.



## GrizBe (May 12, 2010)

So it seems that Games Workshop has finally hired themselves an advertising company to handle their online services:




> via Campaignlive
> 
> Games Workshop, the retailer behind fantasy games such as 'Warhammer', has appointed the Bio Agency to handle its online services.
> 
> ...


So here is the Ad Agency in question (with clients including Coke, Cartoon Network and more...) 




> BIO Agency
> 
> And here is what they say they do:
> 
> ...


Does this mean a doing away with paper sales and there being a torrent of i-crap apps that we the players would like, but can't afford without ahving to buy an i-phone or i-pad first? Or does this mean that GW's online services are actually going to be usefull?


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## Kelann08 (Nov 22, 2011)

I'm thinking they may be reworking their policy about third party sellers and online shopping. I definitely think there's a shift towards online marketing and apps as well, but I'm hoping we will see a more buyer friendly environment for GW products.


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## Archaon18 (Feb 17, 2012)

Knowing GW, the worst of both worlds.


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## 777swappamag777 (Jul 15, 2011)

I just know Mat Ward is going to fuck up anything they do!


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## Codex Todd (Mar 22, 2009)

777swappamag777 said:


> I just know Mat Ward is going to fuck up anything they do!


Can we not have just one thread without the Ward bashing??

But anyway OT can only sit and wait to see how this pans out tbh


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## Tawa (Jan 10, 2010)

Codex Todd said:


> Can we not have just one thread without the Ward bashing??


Evidently not.... :lazy2:


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

good for GW is say, better that they hire people who know what they are doing to do this for them than carry on doing it half assed, Its a good hobby, it could be enjoyed by more people and they have the rights to the hobbit which lets face it should be massive and should yet again pull in many new players but unlike 10 plus years ago when LOTR hit our screens technology and the net is far more important. 
Its a solid and intelligent move by GW


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

bitsandkits said:


> Its a solid and intelligent move by GW


Enjoy this quote, it's not often we'll hear it 

I think it's a good move too, it'd be nice to see the GW website become worth going on again.

Midnight


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## Tawa (Jan 10, 2010)

MidnightSun said:


> Enjoy this quote, it's not often we'll hear it


They'll be having "Summer Sales" next! :laugh:


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

While they are out sourcing I guess they'd be best off handing everything over to Heresy because obviously everyone here knows so much better.


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## khrone forever (Dec 13, 2010)

maybe GW should hire someone to sort out their pricing aswell, as they cant seem to do that right.

anyway, looks like a good buisness move


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## Orochi (Jan 28, 2009)

In fairness, they have always been very shrewd at marketing.

To bad their main form of accessibility, White Dwarf, is just so full of shit nowadays. They really need to go back to how the content was laid out some 12 or so years ago. Nowadays I see a lot of paper with not a lot on it.


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## xenobiotic (Jun 7, 2008)

Magpie_Oz said:


> While they are out sourcing I guess they'd be best off handing everything over to Heresy because obviously everyone here knows so much better.


I take offence by this statement, I'm on heresy all the time and I know nothing! 

----

OT I'd like for GWs internet presence to become better. Right now the page just feels like a "looking good but no substance" kind of place and trying to guide my friend into the hobby has proven to be quite a nightmare and would have been even worse without places like Heresy-Online. Although admittedly nothing about this new move proves that said aspects will change (but one can hope).


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

khrone forever said:


> maybe GW should hire someone to sort out their pricing aswell, as they cant seem to do that right.


Yah think? We chumps keep paying the prices so it's our fault not theirs.


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## DeathKlokk (Jun 9, 2008)

A price hike during a worldwide recession and they still make money hand over fist?

I'd say they have their pricing sorted out perfectly. not to our liking, no, but that's not who they are meant to serve.


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## Eleven (Nov 6, 2008)

Best hobby related news I've heard in forever. 

Here's hoping these guys want to bring the digital codices to other platforms and give us steamesque sales. 

Anybody know any of the products specifically that they sell? I want to look at some of their stuff and see how it works.


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## Eleven (Nov 6, 2008)

DeathKlokk said:


> A price hike during a worldwide recession and they still make money hand over fist?
> 
> I'd say they have their pricing sorted out perfectly. not to our liking, no, but that's not who they are meant to serve.


I was opposed to the price increase at first, but then gws improved their quality and support to meet it, not to mention launching the excellent 6th edition. As long as quality and support continues to improve then I will be satisfied.


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## PlagueMarineXenon (Jun 30, 2012)

Tawa said:


> They'll be having "Summer Sales" next! :laugh:


Then we know the apocalypse is really upon us.


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## PlagueMarineXenon (Jun 30, 2012)

Eleven said:


> Anybody know any of the products specifically that they sell? I want to look at some of their stuff and see how it works.


They don't sell anything. They market a product that others have come up with. I believe the original poster mentioned coke and cartoon network as examples.


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## Eleven (Nov 6, 2008)

PlagueMarineXenon said:


> They don't sell anything. They market a product that others have come up with. I believe the original poster mentioned coke and cartoon network as examples.


If you market something, the. You are selling it. 

Coke and cartoon network are really just Attention grabbers. 

I want to see specific examples of their work. I can assure you that coke and cartoon network do not allow their entire online marketing departments to be run by these guys. They aren't even an American company.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

Eleven said:


> They aren't even an American company.


THE HORROR !!!!!!!!!


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## boreas (Dec 4, 2007)

Magpie_Oz said:


> While they are out sourcing I guess they'd be best off handing everything over to Heresy because obviously everyone here knows so much better.


Not a bad idea actually...

That marketing company can't be as insane as GW...


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

boreas said:


> Not a bad idea actually...
> 
> That marketing company can't be as insane as GW...


Only problem is very few of us have been around since 1985, unlike GW


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## boreas (Dec 4, 2007)

Magpie_Oz said:


> Only problem is very few of us have been around since 1985, unlike GW


Time is not always an assurance... Lots of companies go under 25-30-35 years after there created. 14 years ago, Nortel was a communication giant. Now, not so much. RIM is tanking right as we write this.

Phil


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

boreas said:


> Time is not always an assurance...


Pretty safe bet tho' particularly when the industry they are in is pretty much insulated from technology.

I don't know of anything on the horizon that is going to make plastic space men redundant overnight.


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## Eleven (Nov 6, 2008)

Magpie_Oz said:


> THE HORROR !!!!!!!!!


Just noting that Americans hiring englishmen to market to Americans is unlikely. 

Perhaps these guys were hired to promote coke products in the uk.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

Eleven said:


> Just noting that Americans hiring englishmen to market to Americans is unlikely.


I think you'll find they are marketing to the WORLD, and UK PR firms are some of the best at that.


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## Marneus Calgar (Dec 5, 2007)

They're moving forward and into the 21st century, something that should have been done in 2000. However, with 6th ed being the best (IMO) edition for a long time, we're going to see GW invest in the gamer a little bit I'm hoping.

And yes, getting more money. But if it's cool apps and shit, I'm game.


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## Azkaellon (Jun 23, 2009)

What this really means is there prices are going up to 100 bucks for 10 marines!

AND now there is a crazy marketing campaign to make you think its a good deal.


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## Zion (May 31, 2011)

I think there is a lot of overreacting when it comes to what GW does and what they're supposed to do.

If GW is making money and still producing things to sell, then they're doing what they should be doing. They sell games based on settings (a Fantasy world, the far future, and Lord of the Rings), and are responsible for making those games work and sell. They aren't responsible for making you like the product, their method of selling it or how much they sell it for.

And considering GW goes out of their way to make the product more accessible (providing stores that sell it, hobby centers, and even have a dedicated online store that has been running for at least a decade now with no real issues) I think they do a lot more than some companies. Heck, GW even shows off stuff we send into them. That's a lot more than a lot of companies do.

I think people confuse the personal enjoyment they get out of something with the responsibilities of a company. GW doesn't have to make you happy. They provide you the means to make yourself happy. If you can't be happy with what they give you, or make something out of it that makes you happy then you're missing the point and really should be looking at something else.

Also Ward-Hate is so last year. Move on already. Ward-Haters are starting to make me think of those homophobes who project their insecurities and hate onto someone because they're afraid they themselves will be seen as "weird", or "wrong". I'm not trying to draw a comparison in motive, just general behavior on how over the top they get.

-------------

OT: I'm glad to see GW branching out. It's good to see them starting to take real advantage of digital media and the internet. I hope they branch out the digital codexes to other devices though. The free digital copy with purchase of a dead-tree copy rumor becoming true would be nice too.


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## Eleven (Nov 6, 2008)

Magpie_Oz said:


> I think you'll find they are marketing to the WORLD, and UK PR firms are some of the best at that.


Before I go on I want you to know that I have great respect for british multinational firms. I work for one myself, you can probably guess which after you look at my location. 

What I'm saying is that I doubt this company did significant work for cocacola. I'm about to try to figure out why they did for coke that they feel they should list coke as a significant client. If you care to bet me, I'd like to say their work was mostlikely for use in the uk. I'll do a rep bet to make it more fun if you want.


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## slaaneshy (Feb 20, 2008)

Can we not have one thread where someone tells somoeone off for hating Matt Ward??


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

slaaneshy said:


> Can we not have one thread where someone tells somoeone off for hating Matt Ward??


Can we not have one thread where someone pleads for someone not to tell off someone for telling off someone else for hating Matt Ward.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

Eleven said:


> Before I go on I want you to know that I have great respect for british multinational firms. I work for one myself, you can probably guess which after you look at my location.
> 
> What I'm saying is that I doubt this company did significant work for cocacola. I'm about to try to figure out why they did for coke that they feel they should list coke as a significant client. If you care to bet me, I'd like to say their work was mostlikely for use in the uk. I'll do a rep bet to make it more fun if you want.


Soooo ...... GW is selling Coke now ?


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## Zion (May 31, 2011)

slaaneshy said:


> Can we not have one thread where someone tells somoeone off for hating Matt Ward??


Short answer: No.

Long answer: As long as people perpetuate the illogical hatred of someone they don't know due to the tenative connection of something of sub-standard quality including their name in the author credits (and no, Ward isn't the only one who writes most of those Codex books of his, check the credits section if you don't believe me) then there will be people who tell them to calm down, knock it off, or generally react in an adverse manner. In short: as long as there is someone to bring the hate, there is someone bringing hate on the hate and so on.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

Zion said:


> Short answer: No.
> 
> Long answer: As long as people perpetuate the illogical hatred of someone they don't ...


I'd actually like it if just once they could back up their claim. All I have ever seen is "Matt Wards a douche" to which I ask "why?" and I have never received a response.


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## Zion (May 31, 2011)

Magpie_Oz said:


> I'd actually like it if just once they could back up their claim. All I have ever seen is "Matt Wards a douche" to which I ask "why?" and I have never received a response.


Agreed. And the few times he's written the fluff on something solo it wasn't all that bad (Sisters are a fine example of that), but when there is a group of people on the credit's page only Ward gets the blame. I'll admit I've been annoyed by the quality of some of the writing but I don't blame Ward, nor do I think he's a malicious puppy kicker who is just out to ruin the game for everyone.


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## OIIIIIIO (Dec 16, 2009)

I can tell you why ... In his last will and testament he wants to be, and I quote " Cremated, put in a bottle, and run through one more time! " This is why he is a douche.:laugh:


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

OIIIIIIO said:


> I can tell you why ... In his last will and testament he wants to be, and I quote " Cremated, put in a bottle, and run through one more time! " This is why he is a douche.:laugh:


I think that puts the whole Matt Ward hate nicely in context, thanks mate. You are your own best rebuttal.


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## OIIIIIIO (Dec 16, 2009)

I was just making a joke ... I have no hate for Mat Ward at all. If you do not know a person you can not truly hate them, that is how I see it anyway. Now I will throw shit out there just to get people going but that is about it.

OT: I would like to see where this goes actually. If it done correctly then GW will not have to worry so much about pushing the product and can reassign people to various different places. Like sculpting, writing rules for armies, and all of the core things that made GW into the massive miniature maker that they are. This could be a very smart move for them.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

OIIIIIIO said:


> I was just making a joke ... I have no hate for Mat Ward at all. If you do not know a person you can not truly hate them, that is how I see it anyway. Now I will throw shit out there just to get people going but that is about it.


Fair enough :biggrin:


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## Eleven (Nov 6, 2008)

Magpie_Oz said:


> Soooo ...... GW is selling Coke now ?


I honestly don't know what you are trying to say with this comment. 

As far as I can tell, bio did cell phone text stuff for coke pertaining to the olympics. I don't know why the Olympics didn't immediately occur to me when I saw coca cola and British marketing firm. But yeah, American companies frequently outsource their marketing when trying to sell to the uk since cultural difference can bring that stuff down pretty quick.


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## GrizBe (May 12, 2010)

Eleven said:


> Anybody know any of the products specifically that they sell? I want to look at some of their stuff and see how it works.



Well, going via the companies website, they also do work for Pringles, Everest Windows, the Orange phone company, Santander, LG, Wateraid, the NHS and several others. 

Really, their Website, which i provided a link for, gives all the answers I could find about them.


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## slaaneshy (Feb 20, 2008)

Magpie_Oz said:


> Can we not have one thread where someone pleads for someone not to tell off someone for telling off someone else for hating Matt Ward.


I want to see a society where someone is free to hate.....

One day brothers and sisters.....


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## Zion (May 31, 2011)

slaaneshy said:


> I want to see a society where someone is free to hate.....
> 
> One day brothers and sisters.....


You're free to irrationally hate. But people are free to hate right back.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

Zion said:


> You're free to irrationally hate. But people are free to hate right back.


ACTUALLY in Aus you're not free to hate, vilification is against the law. So no you can't hate, sorry chum.


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## Zion (May 31, 2011)

Magpie_Oz said:


> ACTUALLY in Aus you're not free to hate, vilification is against the law. So no you can't hate, sorry chum.


I'm an American though. Hating for us is a cultural thing. :shok:


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## davespil (Apr 28, 2008)

OIIIIIIO said:


> If you do not know a person you can not truly hate them, that is how I see it anyway.


You severely underestimate people’s ability to hate. You are just as free to hate as you are to love. And I think there is about an even amount of both in the world. Just a lot less of both then most people think.

I don't know any of these codex writers at all. And I don't even know what codexes Matt Ward writes. But, if the problem is his codexes are substandard, then its not his fault. Its the fault of the person who is in charge of the 40K game rules. Whether it be a VP or the senior Codex writer.

I just feel that GW takes the wrong approach when creating rules for this game. While someone may write great fluff it has no bearing on their ability to write and balance the rules for a great game. And I think that’s where the problem comes in. They should be treated like the two completely different things that they are. Sure they are related, but it takes a different type of mind to develop rules to a game as it does to write fluff.

Technical writer types (albeit, those with talent and experience in writing rules for a gaming system) should be used to write the rules based on the fluff provided by the Matt Ward types. The same team should write every codex and have a QA department that will review and play test every rule to make sure everything works together. I doubt that exists at GW having seen some of the mistakes and the unevenness of their codexes.

While I think their fluff is crap, I absolutely love their models which have been getting better and better. I think that the rules are getting better and they are really trying to bring all of their codexes up to par. My biggest problems with GW is the unevenness in their rules/codexes and the insane and unnecessary secrecy in which they operate. Many video game producers reach out to the fans to draw interest in there products prior to release. GW act like they hate us and I think they are missing opportunities.


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## d3m01iti0n (Jun 5, 2012)

ABOUT TIME GW. Time to branch out into merch and more media (ie movies) and make 40K a household name. :so_happy:


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

It'd be suicide not to go into Android/Windows apps if they're trying to breach the mobile device market, especially with the Microsoft i-Pad killer (supposedly) coming out soon. I highly doubt they'll stay exclusive to Apple products. I imagine they went with that first simply because iphones and ipads are high visibility and common use items.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

Magpie_Oz said:


> ACTUALLY in Aus you're not free to hate, vilification is against the law. So no you can't hate, sorry chum.


Good luck having that enforced over an international forum. :laugh: 


And i will be keeping an eye on this to see how it goes.


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## davespil (Apr 28, 2008)

I understand the move to iTunes first. They wanted to try the digital content thing on a proven system. The fact that they aren't launching the digital version with the paper copy of the BRB means they are still working on it. I bet in the next year they'll be releasing them together on more platforms. I applaud GW for taking a step I thought that they would never take. I just hope they keep trying new things.


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## PlagueMarineXenon (Jun 30, 2012)

I would love to see digital codexes and a greater digital presence from GW. A revamp of the Black Library website would be cool too.


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## ohiocat110 (Sep 15, 2010)

Let me be the first to welcome GW to the year 2005! Well done, lads. 

But seriously, this is a good thing. Not only will this help GW reach more players and expand the game, but the feedback they get will also help drive product updates and distribution. We really only have one up-to-date codex right now, which is the digital SM. Everything else has been FAQed to within an inch of its life. The 6th ed rules look promising, let's hope they can do the same with the rest of the game materials. 

Except Battle Sisters. Because GW hates Battle Sisters.


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## PlagueMarineXenon (Jun 30, 2012)

ohiocat110 said:


> Except Battle Sisters. Because GW hates Battle Sisters.


They dislike squats more. That should feel comforting to the SoB players....


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## andrewm9 (Aug 21, 2008)

What might be interesting is doing digital subscriptions to that advertising rag.. I mean White Dwarf. Maybe it would be cool if people could get them on time if they actually paid for a subscription. Its wierd to me that I get my sub a week after everyone who buys at the stores does. Even my FLGS which is not a GW gets theirs before I get mine. What's up with that?

In any case it would be cool to get it that way. I might even actually get an Ipad if it were true. OK .. maybe not but it would still be cool.


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## Tawa (Jan 10, 2010)

PlagueMarineXenon said:


> Then we know the apocalypse is really upon us.


Didn't GW already release that....? :laugh:


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