Activision Taps Hugh Hefner and Playboy For GH5 Ad Campaign

Guitar Hero 5 launches next week and Activision is prepping the ad machine to get the word out about their latest game. They announced their new ad campaign for Guitar Hero 5 with a press release saying they've teamed up with Hugh Hefner and the Playboy franchise to do advertising for the game. The press release is quoted saying:

The commercial spot features Hugh Hefner, Playboy's Founder and Editor-in-Chief, with girlfriends Crystal Harris and twins Karissa and Kristina Shannon along with a bevy of beautiful Playmates, including Tiffany Fallon, 2005 Playmate of the Year and Kara Monaco, 2006 Playmate of the Year. During the ad, the Playmates are doing some serious finger fretting in their signature "Risky Business" attire while Hefner, in his iconic pajamas and smoking jacket, enjoys his personal jam session.

"The 'Risky Business' ads continue to work so well because fans can't get enough of seeing their favorite celebrities doing their own entertaining rendition of the famous 'Risky Business' scene. Playboy is recognized worldwide as a pop culture symbol of fun and entertainment; it's only natural for Hugh and the Playmates to be the next faces of the ad campaign."

I have been a big supporter of Guitar Hero 5 and the Guitar Hero franchise in general. I more or less chose them over Rock Band as my platform for music games because it was still more of a game. I really liked the ads they did for Guitar Hero: World Tour and Guitar Hero: On Tour spoofing Risky Business with different celebrities.

I take issue with their statement about Playboy being the pop culture symbol for fun and entertainment. Playboy is more known as the pop culture symbol for boobs and butts. If you're trying to appeal to families you don't go about it with half naked girls on TV who are better known for wearing nothing at all.