A few people have mentioned this video game commercial for “Call of Duty: Black Ops” so I wanted to share it.

The ad is unique because:

1. It’s a first-person-shooter game that has women in the commercial. 

2. The theme is that “there’s a soldier in all of us." Some people think that it’s inclusive. Others say that it’s disrespectful to soldiers who are actually in war.

3. Kobe Bryant, everyone’s favorite role model, is shooting an assault rifle. ESPN and ESPN Over The Line (OTL) think that’s naughty. I think celebrities have done more controversial things. 

Regardless of whether you agree with the content, the message itself is clearly communicated. Celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel are featured alongside normal people like Susie in Accounts Payable. Everyone is shooting and having a good time doing it. 

The ad catches attention more than most video game commercials with computer-generated images. When I first saw this, I was glued to the screen because I was curious (and kind of scared) to see whether a real person would get shot amidst all the things blowing up. 

Capturing the audience’s attention shouldn’t be taken for granted anymore, so kudos that this ad was able to grab attention as well as create buzz.

What do you think of the commercial, the message, or the execution?