New gold seller tactic: Trying way too hard
by Elizabeth Wachowski 
Jul 4th 2007 at 9:30AM
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This picture, available in greater detail here, comes to us from Sid on Proudmoore.
Apparently, a certain gold seller got creative when trying to figure out ways to advertise past Blizzard's spam filter. The gold farmers created hundreds of identical level 1 gnomes, postion-hacked them into mid-air, and let them fall to certain doom in a way that spelled out the web address of their gold-selling site, which I'm not going to name here because I don't want anyone to get keylogged or anything. Looks like they've lost part of their "W", though. Players on Arthas, Frostmane and Eitrigg have reported the same tactic by different companies.
This makes me kind of glad I'm Horde, because I can't see anyone finding enough flat ground in Orgrimmar to do this successfully. I also have to give credit to the gold sellers for trying way, way too hard on this one. Taking the time to make all the level 1 gnomes, hack them into midair, and then arrange your company's name for ... what? Is there anyone out there who actually sees gold selling advertisements and goes, "Gee, buying gold. I never thought of that before, but now I will visit your lovely web site. Thanks, Jmhmltcawf/random dead gnomes!"
What's next? Raids made of gnomes whose names, read in conjunction, make up an advertisement, kind of like those old Burma Shave signs?
Thanks for the tip, Sid!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Evil Sheep Jul 4th 2007 9:54AM
"Gee, buying gold. I never thought of that before, but now I will visit your lovely web site. Thanks, Jmhmltcawf/random dead gnomes!"
*chuckle*
Shesra Jul 4th 2007 10:21AM
we had that on Elune last night too!
Jibreille Jul 4th 2007 10:32AM
Eldre'thalas too.
runako Jul 4th 2007 10:49AM
"Taking the time to make all the level 1 gnomes, hack them into midair, and then arrange your company's name for ... what?"
The answer is in the question, surely?
Smutcakes Jul 4th 2007 10:54AM
"Gee, buying gold. I never thought of that before, but now I will visit your lovely web site. Thanks, Jmhmltcawf/random dead gnomes!"
why do companies advertise cereal on TV? Because it works. I trust that giant banners made from dead gnomes work just as well.
RogueJedi86 Jul 4th 2007 11:00AM
I guess the real question is: do goldspam ads work? If only we could get a poll from actual goldbuyers/powerlevelers, to find out what clued them in to the companies.
Pingmeister Jul 4th 2007 11:01AM
In Barrens chat yesterday we had some low level guy say "You can buy Gold? Where?"
Ol' Barnum was right.
Oldbear Jul 4th 2007 11:02AM
Sure beats in game whispers...
Rich Jul 4th 2007 11:02AM
Have to give them props for creativity... LOL
Baluki Jul 4th 2007 11:30AM
It would probably work a lot better if it was actually legible.
Nails Jul 4th 2007 11:30AM
that is incredibly awesome
Roxor Jul 4th 2007 11:40AM
Right after reading this I logged into BDF's IF and found it there too. It was like looking out my window to see the car chase I'd been watching on TV.
Noroth Jul 4th 2007 12:00PM
This was on Firetree as well, but Ironforge was still so populated the gnomes were slow to getting into place and disappeared too quickly to get the whole address. They kept trying and at one point made "wmine.com", "w w" later, and finally "i", before giving up.
It was actually pretty amusing to watch all those little gnomes rain in. I think we now need a holiday of gathering gnomes and dropping them off zeppelins en masse. >.>
Cody Jul 4th 2007 2:07PM
Hmm on Perenolde last night I wasn't in IF so I unno if they did that there. But in SW in the AH there was a lvl 1 Human bot walking around spewing crap about this site and it was obviuous it was a bot cuz it was walking into a corner for like 10 minutes at least haha. All I can say is at least its not a Whisper or a mass raid invite :)
ahac Jul 5th 2007 11:30AM
Hm.. nice waste of accounts when they ban them all.
robodex Jul 4th 2007 12:29PM
Hakkar had half an "M" before they eliminated the problem.
Rich Jul 4th 2007 12:33PM
Now we know what the fireworks are really for... They are actually Gnome-Flak used to shot flying Gnomes out of the air!!!!!
Hurray for the Fire Festival and its copious use of fireworks!
rick gregory Jul 4th 2007 3:38PM
Yeah, this happened on Alleria too. Actually very funny if you were there as it happened - dozens of gnome death sounds, one every few seconds... and I say that as a gnome.
Kazkek Jul 5th 2007 9:39AM
Feathermoon also.
Kyle Jul 4th 2007 3:13PM
Happened on Sargeras last night as well.