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Ballardopoly

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Started 11 months ago by phoo
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phoo

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I love board games and I don't have monopoly, so I thought this was so cool, I went right out and bought it. It was awesome right up until I opened it and found it was full of advertising rather than historical context. I know, what was I expecting from a fundraiser? Safe to say, I won't be making this mistake again. I don't even know what Deca is. A shame that can't have made a product that was awesome to have regardless how you felt about their program (and thus would sell to more than just people who wanted to support their program).

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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"There's a sucker born every minute" is a phrase often credited to P. T. Barnum (1810–1891), an American showman. Though this phrase is often credited to Barnum it was actually said by his opponent Hull.

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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Hawk - What, are you the trivia editor at a matchbook factory?

I was going to buy Ballardopy, but felt the jail is an inaccuracy. We all know they don't arrest anyone in Ballard.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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Screw Jail

Just banish them to live under the Ballard Bridge

Posted 11 months ago #
gracie

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Phoo - thanks for letting us know. I was going to buy it for a relative who used to live in Ballard. Not now for sure.
EDog - didn't you know there was a Ballard Jail? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oRqO8MybXI

Posted 11 months ago #
allisonw

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Deca's been preparing hs kids for business careers for a long long time.

http://www.deca.org/

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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I remember there was a DECA chapter in my high school

it was all the Alex P. Keaton wannabes.

frankly I don't know how they would've made this particular game better. Monopoly is all about commerce--there's little 'historical' context per se, aside from the railroads maybe.

Posted 11 months ago #
onederfullone

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I used a monoploy board to practice socialism...

Posted 11 months ago #
Shirley

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This is a great BHS Deca project! A game board in which local companies lend their support for their local school. The students learn about business & marketing and raise much needed funds for the school. A total "win-win".

Phoo... consider for a moment that you are in fact watching current history. The board documents the current times, history and local businesses which are part of Ballard.

In time, we'll look back at this board game and recall with fondness all those companies which were and hopefully remain part of Ballard.

I'm not grooving on what appears to be a negative and anti-business vibe on this thread about an innovative, resourceful group of students who pulled off a great project to help their school.

I think this is a great idea and wonderfully executed. Congratulation to BHS Deca class. Very well done!

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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The board documents who is willing to pay for space on the board, then more money from the people willing to shell out 25 bones to pay for the advertising.

I'm not anti-business, I'm anti-paying for advertising.

I have however looked at the community cards and like some of them. "Happy Syttende Mai! Collect $100" and "Caught speeding through a red light by the traffic camera at 15th/Market. Pay $200."

I also like that instead of a "hotel" they have a condo. But it always sticks in my craw to pay to see ads.

Posted 11 months ago #
h2o_girl

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Sure, it's full of advertising, but it was made by Ballard high school kids to support their program. DECA prepares kids for business, financial and marketing careers. In high school I turned up my nose at those kids because I was an artist, dammit. Now I work in marketing. Go figure...

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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I am not sure we should be breeding children to learn how to package advertising in such a way as to make people pay for it.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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Phoo - Speaking of adds

I remember years ago back in NY when I purchased a GM truck from a dealer and when I was getting ready to leave they went to put a dealership sticker on the back. I told the salesman that unless he was reducing the price or paying me to advertise that he wasn't going to put a sticker on my new vehicle.

Posted 11 months ago #
onederfullone

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Shirley, I'd hate to bust your groove.

Part of what makes Monopoly timeless, is the generic aspect of the game.

Since we've all played it, why not make a board game of Risk? Axis and Allies? Maybe Ballard Trivial Pursuit? (I'm feeling a bit of potential, but it would all unfairly penalize foreigners)

I'm out of Ezra. sorry.

Deca, and many others, like DeMolay, J.A., Boy/Girl scouts, even Mensa and ROTC. Serve a specific sect. of student population.

They couldn't care less if your game is not timeless. Neither to I.

Serve the populism or be scorned. Carry on peeps. ;-)

{edit}

Sure, it's full of advertising, but it was made by Ballard high school kids to support their program

That just isn't true. Are you saying Girl Scout Cookies are made by Girl Scouts?

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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oneder - This forum can get catty @ times. Why not a MyBallrd themed game of Clue to help solve some of the dilemmas.

Posted 11 months ago #
onederfullone

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Not a fan of clue, but go for it

Posted 11 months ago #
Oly

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Phoo, it's clear you haven't a clue as to the purpose of this board game. To crap on the efforts of a high school group who are raising money to maintain their after school activity is absurd. They are learning about commerce. Since you seem to active in selling your unwanted junk and mooching for items you don't want to buy on this forum I would think you would understand and support these future entrepreneurs.

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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Onder - On the 68th anniversary of D-Day, I inform you I would smash you a*s at Axis and Allies! My Russian army would cut your eastern front in two isolating an entire section of the German army from reinforcements from Berlin making your entire second turn a response to the confusion I handed you. Meanwhile the British air force and navy would sink your tiny German fleet before it got out of the Baltic, and all this while launching a risky but successful assault from India on south Asia in an effort to push back Japan - but for one turn - in an effort create a buffer zone for a US factory in China so the money can start rolling out!!! S*CK ON THEM APPLES YOU NAZI!

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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I would like to see a Ballard Ouija Board. it would smell like fish.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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BuffaloHawk: Absolutely. That may be why more of them use plate holders now that you can simply remove.

Oly - I wouldn't've minded one bit buying this game to support the HS students if it wasn't already full of advertising. All those advertisers paid the students to get ahold of my eyeballs after I paid my $25.

Perhaps you haven't noticed that 99% of the things I needed to get rid of I did for free. Not one of those things that I asked money for (or for that matter I gave away for free) was associated with advertising.

It's not the making of money or exchanging of goods. It's paying good money for advertising (that they also got money for).

If the board game did not contain advertising and was based on Ballard, I would instead be extolling its virtues.

To be clear to people who have not seen the game - the "advertising" is the name and address of each business that has clearly paid for each space/s on the board. I suppose it is a sort of snapshot of modern ballard of businesses that had the money to pay for the advertising.

Posted 11 months ago #
onederfullone

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Dog, I would take axis, and you'd be huddled in a corner, 'just sayin' ;-)

Phoo, it's clear you haven't a clue as to the purpose of this board game. To crap on the efforts of a high school group who are raising money to maintain their after school activity is absurd. They are learning about commerce. Since you seem to active in selling your unwanted junk and mooching for items you don't want to buy on this forum I would think you would understand and support these future entrepreneurs

Damn, I get to hail you, and slap you, in just one day, Oly. It's not not about fundraising, it's about Ballard, and who is smart to capitalize on it. Clearly few are.
But, let's let underachievers, who've done nothing but show up, benefit. Brilliant.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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I think it's disingenuous to say i should be grateful for having part of a fundraiser and rewarding students, despite my disappointment with the product I got. Instead, let's teach our children to make my money by creating a superior product that anyone who enjoys board games would be happy to have, not just people who want to say "I was a part of a fundraiser!" These students successfully created a game that made lots of money. But they were unsuccessful at creating a good product. Although "making the max amount of money" is often seen as the only goal of a successful business these days, it's just not true. It's in fact what leads to the spoiled apples in the business world that we hate so much and what gives all businesses a bad name.

These students may be successful if they become employed in a monopoly where people do not have a choice but to do business with them, but if this game came from a company, I'd never buy a product from them again.

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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I think the thing people are missing is that some areas get together and make a fun version of monopy that speaks more to the spirit of a community. Apparently Phoo thought Phoo was getting that when what Phoo got was a cheap "local" version that works more of like weekend circular.

Yes, I'd be irritated if I bought junk mail too, but once I got it off my chest, I'd go on and live a good life.

You know get out of jail free.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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Thanks Edog, that's exactly it. I was irritated because my budget is very tight these days so I will miss that $25. Today I kvetch about it, tomorrow I'll be over it. Not sure what I'll do with the actual game. It will either grow on me, or be a constant reminder of the lesson I learned and I may give it away here.

Posted 11 months ago #
onederfullone

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These students successfully created a game that made lots of money.

They didn't create the facebooking game, goddamn it!.

Maybe they should just read 'Critical Path' by 'Bucky'. Obnoxico was at least an independent ideal that netted millions.

I'm a bit tired of teaching kids to be minimalists. Most college drop=outs end up being way more successful than art major graduate, and aren't saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt for their trouble, pushing double lattes.

dog- you are a dog, leave a pile, and move on, no harm done. It's not like grass needed to be there, in the middle of a lawn that lacked character...

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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These students successfully created a game that made lots of money.

They didn't create the facebooking game, goddamn it!.

LMFacebookingAO - oneder +1

Seriously.. I have seen so many themed versions of monopoly for over a decade now. It is about as original as opening a new bar in Ballard.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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onederfulone: you are absolutely right. They used someone else's engine and put their own skin on it. A skin they got paid for, then charged other people for. It was an uncreative skin. There was little to no creativity involved in this project.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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if you were in this organization, and looking to make money, why wouldn't you do it twice by charging businesses to advertise then charging customers to buy the game?

I have not seen the game, so perhaps it's done in a somewhat garish fashion.

maybe they could've classed it up a bit and thrown in some token landmarks?

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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GI - Great Idea on Ballard themed game pieces.

How about VB on a bike or an older pick up truck to represent Iplod picking up peoples items ;)

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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I've got an old blue bag of poop if you need other pieces.

Posted 11 months ago #
Oly

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Onder,

"What we've got here is failure to communicate." Captain

I may be inclined to agree but..... Deca is a HS club to teach marketing skills, the board game isn't trying to be original or about Ballard it is a fundraiser tool that also teaches students about sales, marketing and distribution of a product which is the point of Deca.

Phoo, you said they were successful at making money, that's the point of Deca, it's sales and marketing. If you didn't like the product and your money situation is tight, why didn't you return it?

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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Oly: I don't believe I can return it. I bought it from Smokin' Petes and it is out of its plastic wrap. Also, SP is selling it in good faith for someone else and it was my mistake and would be a bit of a douche move to walk in and demand my money back. Not Smokin' Pete's mistake.

Making max money is NOT what a business is all about. Please see my paragraph about a few bad apple corporations acting that way and spoiling it for the rest of the corporations. There are other considerations, like a decent product to get repeat customers. Unless of course you have a monopoly.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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phoo - When you move again and consolidate I will take it ;)

They should have a boxed wine piece since you have to pass Mediterranean Ave.

Posted 11 months ago #
Ernie

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I seriously doubt that one could produce a Monopoly board game, and all the accessories, with a limited production run for anywhere close to $25. The advertising is essential to producing the game and making it pencil out, let alone making it a fundraising tool.

It wasn't what the OP was expecting, but what she was expecting probably isn't feasible. I think the best you could hope for is for the ads to be more creatively integrated into the design, but that would probably only work if the design team included students with an interest in art and graphic design, not just members of a business club.

Posted 11 months ago #
Ernie

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BH, the "broken down camper" piece would need to be standard equipment as well.

Posted 11 months ago #
Sunset9

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Phoo - In the words of Weekend Update REALLY? "making MAX money is not what business is always about" REALLY I MEAN REALLY??

I'll give you "making money isn't what life is all about" but making max money is in fact what business is all about. By definition.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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"I seriously doubt that one could produce a Monopoly board game, and all the accessories, with a limited production run for anywhere close to $25. "

seriously? I could buy some make-shift 'pieces' (not quite the thimble or top-hat) from Archie Mcphee (insert dinosaur or flying nun instead) for under $5. The 'board' and 'cards' could easily be mass-produced for under 10 bucks a set. They could have still made money, just not as much.
I still think it's good they got local businesses involed.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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No, making money is what business is all about. Not necessarily max money. Why? Because if you exploit everyone like a ferengi, you'll have no repeat customers.

Posted 11 months ago #
allisonw

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I think the best approach would be to contact the DECA people at BHS. Refunding money of dissatisfied customers is a business lesson as well.

Posted 11 months ago #
pennygirl

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You can't ask the BHS kids for your money back! It was a school project for crying out loud!

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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As I said, I think in this situation, it is rather douchy to ask for my money back. I've learned my lesson and hopefully won't repeat it.

Posted 11 months ago #
allisonw

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Yeah, we got the offensive terminology the first time you said it. Enough with that.

Posted 11 months ago #
Ballardemician

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Hey let's make our own Ballardopoly! The streets could start with something around the crown hill cemetery and finish w/ 34th Ave. The little man could wear a flannel and a beard. The shoe could be a croc.

Posted 11 months ago #
Ernie

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Googled it and found out that whatever-opoly is a standard fundraising strategy, and there are a number of vendors who will make the games for you. They claim that selling the real estate covers the cost of the games and the sale price is the profit, sounds like 500 games is typically the minimum order.

Quickly totaling up the "real estate" and the prices here:

http://www.myballard.com/2011/06/15/purchase-real-estate-on-ballardopoly/

I got $17,100. If that covers the cost, and they bought 500 games, they would cost $34.20 each, and they would make $12,500 selling them for $25 each. Nice haul for probably not much work.

And, yes, I'm bored and have nothing better to do....

Posted 11 months ago #
Cheese

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Late to this thread, but wow! I thought Monopoly was all about the rampant effects of capitalism and having fun with that - a Depression era game and all that. One might think it might have some corollaries to today, one might.

One might also think that someone buying a Ballard version of it might be copacetic to the fact that it is a cutthroat business game and not My Little Pony. In fact, one might be a little forgiving to advertising in such a game and take it is a given. But then one is not every one.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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allison, ah, sorry about that. I can see how someone might take exception to that. I'm still hanging out with computer geeks and it's in the culture.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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Ernie - I think a kid biting into there first lukefisk could replace the original guy in the top hat.

That would be creative & original. Hell I would pay $25.00 for the character.

Posted 11 months ago #
allisonw

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Yeah, the kids use it not getting what it means.

Posted 11 months ago #
Corvus

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Can I have the game when you are done with it? I can't afford the real Monopoly and at least the 25$ went to some ________ charity.

Posted 11 months ago #
Ballardemician

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Go straight to Reading Gaol, do not pass Tacoma Screw, do not collect 200 lutefisk.

Posted 11 months ago #
Shirley

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This was an interesting thread to read after just congratulating the BHS Deca Students on a job well done.

Apparently there is a lot of "anti local business" sentiment on this thread. I'm not sure why local businesses don't count as part of the community to some, but I guess there is some deep seated resentment somewhere along the line.

The most interesting disconnect for me was Phoo who advertises stuff for sale on this site all the time...be it unwanted household items, quinces, or opinions on everything, but doesn't seem to comprehend the "free advertising enjoyed" is paid for by the very same businesses which he openly disdains and rails against.

Even the charitable organizations which he lauds obtain support be it cash or donations from the local businesses.

Perhaps, Phoo, who posses such a vast wealth of experience, can educate and enlighten us all on this paradox without using the word douche. : D

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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I would really like to see the Ballardopoly Board.

in Ernie's link, where they are 'selling' space to advertise (on property tiles, property cards, money (advertising on money!), community/chance cards, and 1" square tiles), they note that you could buy this space to advertise your business, OR for a personal message. did anyone buy space for a personal message?
I would've plunked down money to have "get off my weed farm" put on a card or two.

secondly, on the order form, they claim it will be "fully customized w/ classic Ballard destinations, like local schools, area attractions, any your business!"

did they include some (or all) of the schools? what are our area attractions anyway(that are free)? the Locks, the Library, Golden Gardens, Ballard Commons Park, Bergen Place, etc. are these places represented?

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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GI - I would have paid to put "No more bike lanes" on a card or two ;)

Posted 11 months ago #
Nora Bell

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Phoo - Just popping in to applaud the ferengi reference. Carry on.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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GI: Maybe we should all sit down to play it once? at the end of it, I'll make up my mind to keep or (more likely) give it to someone who would like it. I have not examined it thoroughly.

NB: Q'Plah!

Posted 11 months ago #
Mondoman

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Here's a link that includes a lower-res picture of the board: http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2012/06/01/news/get-your-hands-limited-edition-ballardopoly-theyr

Looking at that, it seems fine to me. I'd probably get one for my nephew once he gets old enough to play.

Shirley, I didn't notice any anti-local-business sentiment here. Seemed to me that the thread was more about whether a local fundraiser was selling a quality product (i.e. one that I'd buy even without the fundraising connection) or not. Glad to see that you are, and glad to hear you had a successful year!

Posted 11 months ago #
Oly

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Buy a magazine, adds fall on your lap, half of the publication contains ads.
Pay for cable television, yep, it's full of ads.
Pay for internet, log on to MB, face book etc. and they have ads.
Attend a professional sporting events and your staring right at ads.
Go to a movie (except the Bay) and you have to sit through ads.

Yep, money spent to get exposed to ads.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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after looking at that thumbnail (thanks mondo), I would say I might be a bit dismayed if I bought it. I wouldn't take it back or start a thread or anything, but it doesn't seem all that representative of our hamlet (or piglet as I like to say).

maybe if they created a better version (which I'm sure these deca kids could do, perhaps enlisting the help of the (cough, cough) artsy kids in their school), they would have ultimately sold MORE of these sets. it would be the coolest thing in town--you'd see the hipster moms walking down Market Street with a 'ballardopoly' under one arm and their rolled-up yoga mat draped over the opposite shoulder.

Posted 11 months ago #
Corvus

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Oly,

You left out:

1. Watch a video on Youtube.
2. Open your Facebook Page.
3. Check your email.
4. Drive down the highway.

We pay for all of those things even the stuff that is supposedly free. Without that holy grail, the captured audience just waiting to be advertised to (at) there would be no internet as we know it today.

How's the t-shirt go?

"Nullum Gratuitum Prandium"

There is no free lunch.

Posted 11 months ago #
Cheese

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I don't know, crows get plenty of free lunches...

Posted 11 months ago #

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