Ian Bogost - Water Cooler Games - Monster.com Crap in the Door

my affiliations

Ian Bogost - videogame theory, criticism, design

about me

contact

Water Cooler Games

Water Cooler Games served as the web's primary forum for "videogames with an agenda" — coverage of the uses of video games in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment.

The site was maintained at watercoolergames.org from 2003-2009, where it was edited by myself and Gonzalo Frasca. It is now archived here in full.

You are reading an archived version of this article. The original URL was (loading...)

Monster.com Crap in the Door

by Ian Bogost February 13, 2007

categories: Advergames

I frequently get emails from PR agencies hocking their clients lousy advergames. I usually save these up, but I realized that it's been too long since we railed on a crappy advergame.

Here's Foot in the Door, from Monster.com, the job ad website. According to the press release, the game is "a fun, interactive way for job seekers to relax while making fun of the experience of getting into an interview, and the hurdles they find in the process."

To play the game, you throw feet. At doors.

If this were just a cute game that they threw up for a laugh, perhaps I'd be less cruel. What amazes me is that Monster.com actually seems to believe that the game has something to do with their core business offering (again from the release): "we hope Foot In The Door helps players see how Monster can help them walk through the door to their next great career." What's even more unfortunate is that a game about how to perform well in a job interview would actually be a really interesting game. Throwing disembodied feet? Not so much.

Comments (4)

Wow. I never knew that the best way to make a good impression on a potential employer was to kick their employees in the head!

Thanks Monster.com!

This does absolutely nothing to advertise Monster.com... it's not only a bad idea for an advergame, but it's also just a bad idea for a game. Why would I send this to my friends? Oh yeah, to unlock a cheat code. You know, a cheat code that I will never use because I never want to open that website again.

Brilliant!

Joe Bourrie on February 13, 2007 9:02 PM

Briljant review. Almost couldn't resist throwing feet at my screen. What a drag, especially since they put a lot of effort (money) in it, for instance the characters and their backround.

e-wreck on February 14, 2007 3:36 PM

Briljant review. Almost couldn't resist throwing feet at my screen. What a drag, especially since they put a lot of effort (money) in it, for instance the characters and their backround.

e-wreck on February 14, 2007 3:36 PM

The cheaziest part of this game is that if you pelt the monster dot com mascot in the head he'll stand there holding the door open for you so you can toss a large number of feet into the door.
If you make use of the monster.com mascot then the game becomes very easy. The message we're aparently supposed to get is that Monster.com helps you get your feet into the door.

Perhaps it would have been more subtle if the monster had just held up a giant sign.

AndyL on February 19, 2007 3:24 AM