Over the past month, starting with a viral rumor mill campaign, and
graduating to editorial publicity the PokerShare marketing folks have
skillfully heightened the profile of their company through Mikey the
Poker Playing Chimp. This innovative scheme presented a poker playing
chimpanzee called Mikey as a World Series of Poker contestant with
a buildup on his training and abilities.
Like its US-based free petrol publicity action before it, the PR benefits
have been substantial for PokerShare, but the free ride came to an
end this week when the poker-faced chimp was denied a seat in the
Main Event, which attracted 8 773 other hopefuls.
Gary Thompson, speaking on behalf of the World Series of Poker said
Mikey would not be registered, nor would he play. "We are
not letting any chimpanzees in. It would be cruel to the chimpanzee
and unfair to our players,” he said.
PokerShare claim that Mikey was professionally trained to recognize
the colors and shapes of suits and numbers after he was 'discovered'
in a nationwide search. PokerShare were prepared, apparently, to put
up the $10 000 buy-in for the event, which is probably a very small
cost compared to the amount of publicity they have developed from
the initiative.
Adding to the hype, the poker chimp was staying at the Real World
Suite at the Palms, and apparently hosted a VIP party. There was even
a contingency plan should the talented ape have finished in the money
- it would have been donated to an unspecified chimpanzee retirement
home.