Having a baby? Finding it difficult to settle on a name? Codemasters thinks Jason has a nice ring to it and has come up with a bizarre Rise of the Argonauts tie-in to help make your decision a little easier.
The name Jason is of Greek origin, derived from iasthai, which means “to heal.” It was adopted as an English name in the 17th century and while it remains popular in the U.S., its use has dropped off dramatically in the U.K., where it no longer ranks among the 50 most popular names for boys. Codemasters finds this situation intolerable; thus, a quest worthy of the Argonauts themselves: To bring Jason back in 2009!
Entering the contest is a simple, three-part process. Step one: Have a baby. Step two: Name it Jason. Step three: Fax, mail or email a copy of the birth certificate indicating that your newborn child was in fact named Jason to [email protected] and you’ll be entered into the draw for a year’s supply of Codemasters videogames on the platform of your choice.
“These days, babies’ names are influenced by celebrities – and there aren’t that many famous Jasons any more,” said Codemasters Director of Communications Richard Eddy. “We hope our Rise of the Argonauts hero can act as a ‘virtual’ star, encouraging new parents to rejuvenate this once-great English name. Jasons, friends of Jasons and anyone interested in onomastics should keep an eye on the blog over the coming weeks, as we document our quest to re-populate the nation with Jasons.”
Jason Robards. Jason Statham. Jason Alexander. Jason Vorhees: It is a bit of a short list these days. On the other hand, based on response to the game so far I have to wonder if Rise of the Argonauts is really the best way to return the name to prominence. Creative marketing may be all the rage, but while the black cat campaign for F.E.A.R. 2 was relevant and cool, this just seems weird.
The contest is open to citizens of the U.K. only, but if you happen to be knocked up in ol’ Blighty and want a shot at some free Codemasters swag, or if you just want to see how things are going for the Jasons of the world, keep an eye on Codemasters’ Argonautical blog at bringbackjason.com.
