A winning combination or an own goal ?marketing technology
Numerous reports and acquisitions over the months have highlighted in-game advertising as a significant growth area.
But does this offer advertisers a way to place their message in front of engaged consumers or offer no more than a novel way for games producers to gain additional revenue.
Television
Ofcom’s* recent report highlights viewing figures are down yet again, with the average person spending around 3 ½ hours a week watching television. Compare this with Entertainment Software Association* figures of an average time spent playing games of around the 7 ½ hours per week.
Games - the benefits are obvious ?
You have an audience which is spending considerably more time captive to the game, far more opportunities exist to present your message to the gamer and advertisers are not held back by regulatory bodies in the same way as TV.
Also there is a degree of relevance knowing where the advert is being placed and in the future online gaming ( combined with with user profiles ) could be used to further tailor and deliver relevant marketing messages - it seems the lure of spending marketing dollars seems irresistible.
Irresistible indeed, Yankee group’s recent report estimates that by 2011 in game advertising expenditure will be over $900 million.
So does spending time, engaged and engrossed within a game equate to increased awareness ?
But does this offer advertisers a way to place their message in front of engaged consumers or offer no more than a novel way for games producers to gain additional revenue.
Television
Ofcom’s* recent report highlights viewing figures are down yet again, with the average person spending around 3 ½ hours a week watching television. Compare this with Entertainment Software Association* figures of an average time spent playing games of around the 7 ½ hours per week.
Games - the benefits are obvious ?
You have an audience which is spending considerably more time captive to the game, far more opportunities exist to present your message to the gamer and advertisers are not held back by regulatory bodies in the same way as TV.
Also there is a degree of relevance knowing where the advert is being placed and in the future online gaming ( combined with with user profiles ) could be used to further tailor and deliver relevant marketing messages - it seems the lure of spending marketing dollars seems irresistible.
Irresistible indeed, Yankee group’s recent report estimates that by 2011 in game advertising expenditure will be over $900 million.
So does spending time, engaged and engrossed within a game equate to increased awareness ?
marketing technology
Focus
Recent article in Wired Magazine “ focuses “ on a technology that tracks the players eyes during game play, it concludes that people are concentrating so hard that there awareness for objects and items that are not directly related to the game is very limited.
In short – people are concentrating too much to notice the messages that are secondary to game itself.
All is not lost
Some of the highest brand recall rates are recorded where the brands themselves have an integral part within the game itself ( a good example of this is brands of cars in racing games ).
It is simply not enough to rely on these extended periods of game play and therefore exposure to get your message across, it has to be relevant and engage the player in some manner to be a success.
Recent article in Wired Magazine “ focuses “ on a technology that tracks the players eyes during game play, it concludes that people are concentrating so hard that there awareness for objects and items that are not directly related to the game is very limited.
In short – people are concentrating too much to notice the messages that are secondary to game itself.
All is not lost
Some of the highest brand recall rates are recorded where the brands themselves have an integral part within the game itself ( a good example of this is brands of cars in racing games ).
It is simply not enough to rely on these extended periods of game play and therefore exposure to get your message across, it has to be relevant and engage the player in some manner to be a success.
marketing technology
For an indepth view of game based marketing visit read " taking gaming to the next level " by Nigel Hollis.
* remember - double click in the article to find out more
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