I have never had to name a child, but even so I would like to think I have some insight into the naming process. While I know there are many factors and emotional reasons for selecting a name for your child, one should put some thought to that child's future. Some names, let's say Dovahkiin for an example, are likely going to give the child some difficulty in the future, as it is difficult to spell, pronounce, and somewhat embarrassing. So, as a parent, one would have to have a very good reason to saddle their child with that tag. A very good reason is not, for instance, so they can get a bunch of free video games.
That was an oddly specific example, you might think. That's because it's an actual contest run by an actual software company - Bethesda Softworks, to be precise - with the goal of promoting an actual game. If your baby is born on November 11, the launch of Bethesda's newest title, Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, you have the chance to get every game the company produces, plus the added prize of deep shame. It's an offer too good to pass up!
Of course, Bethesda has just accomplished the goal of the marketing stunt. Hopefully, nobody actually takes up the offer, and if they do they give the child a sensible middle name like Paul or Jane so they can go by that moniker. However, the goal is not to have a large crew of little Dovahkiins running around. Instead, this is all about getting people talking about the company, and their new product. It's good old fashioned viral marketing, where companies will do something just to get others talking about it, rather than because it's a good idea.
On one hand, it's worked. I've mentioned the game in question and I've used it as an excuse to bring up the marketing tactic. On the other hand, I'm not entirely sure if it connects with giving people a positive association with the product in question. Knowing that Bethesda is doing an extremely silly marketing stunt for Skyrim isn't making me more inclined to buy the product. In fact, I'm kind of leery of it now, since the company is engaging in these bizarre marketing tactics in order to move it. I don't know what a Dovahkiin is - some sort of Finnish soap? - and the stunt hasn't actually made me more aware of what the game is about - perhaps the manufacturing and distribution of Finnish soap?
Which isn't to say that it's not possible to do something that's a bit of a stunt and have it work out, just that it has to be relevant to what you're selling. For example, Doritos has been doing assorted elaborate stunts to launch new flavours for a while, from getting people to name them to getting them to write the ads. It's a great idea for a promotion, since it encourages people to buy the product, gives an excuse to talk about it, and is completely relevant to what they are selling. It is a chip-centered campaign that encourages participation and encourages people to buy the product.
Why that succeeds, and Bethesda fails, is that the focus is on the product, while Bethesda is instead focused on the attention. This is not to say the game in question will sell poorly - the series does have a dedicated fan base - but instead that the stunt Bethesda is trying to pull won't work, because instead of being about the game, it's about trying to convince someone to make a horrible mistake.
