I have friends that game their apps into the Top 50 by buying it with 30 or so different accounts they set up. This is not in the entertainment category though. I hate marketing and I hate marketing for the iPhone more than anything. So many of the iPhone app review blogs seem like payola plays too. "Expedite your review for $200" and that kind of crap. This guy's smart because he probably got Xbox blogs to cover it, not iPhone blogs.
Agreed about payola, although most of the avenues I've advertised through did not require anything other than a free copy of my app (game). Some wanted you to advertise through them, although it's a no-obligation deal.
But I like your comment about getting XBox to cover your app -- the XBox market probably isn't very saturated with iPhone apps, so his must have stood out well. Good idea, thanks :)
