This is a memorable advertisement but also kinda strange.. Skies of Arcadia has a "Swashbuckler Rating" system where plot choices can affect your reputation and bounty level. You also rise or fall ranks based on other factors like finding treasure (a good thing) or running from battles (which is bad!)
But it is the hook to build marketing around? Not really. "You're... a well known ninny" is not a great pitch because a) players don't wanna be loser wimpos and b) Vyse starts above that rank and is a consistently heroics fella! He ain't no ninny!
90's and early 2000's game advertisement is all over the place. This is a game with a huge open world and airship battles and exploration! That's gotta be easy to sell right? And yet, I can't deny that it's stuck in my mind for many years so maybe it worked...