In-game advertisements are a big success ... and gamers love them!

Gothic Girl | June 03, 2008 | News | Company Misc

According to ad agency "Massive", advertisements and product-placements that appear in games are hugely successful.
The agency claimed that 70% of gamers love seeing ads in their games because it "enhances realism" and "looks cool". That same 70% are also apparently more likely to say things like "Adidas is an inspirational brand" if they had seen said brand in a game they liked.

Gamers have a "consistently positive" opinion of in-game advertising? That's what ad agency Massive, which is owned by Microsoft, found in a survey whose results it announced this morning.

Media research firm Interpret looked into four of Massive's advertisers: an unnamed fast-food restaurant, candy company and entertainment studio, plus Adidas footwear and apparel, and found the ads are having an effect, showing significant percentage increases in brand recognition when compared to those who didn't see the in-game ads.

With the Adidas promotion, for example, gamers who saw the ads in 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K7 said things like "Adidas is the only brand for me" and "Adidas is an inspirational brand" 70 percent more often than those not exposed to the ads.

And Massive's study seems to show gamers don't mind being influenced: 70 percent of gamers said the ads enhanced realism, fit the games they appeared in (universally sports games, except for the ads in Rainbow Six: Vegas) and that the ads "looked cool."

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On Vacation | June 03, 2008

I hate games with in game advertisements, It's bad enough i pay £40 for a new game let alone be subjected to adverts while playing it. To me, Its the same as paying for a premium service and still getting all the ads.

Heck with the sponsorship they must receive from the companies, i'm sure theres just no way they can justify such a high price for the game, at least bring the cost down if its gonna be packed with adverts >>
1 thumbs!
Gothic Girl | June 03, 2008

I find it hard to believe that 70% of gamers "love" advertisements in their games, let alone spout crap like "Adidas is an inspirational brand".
- 0 thumbs!
  Redemption | June 03, 2008
  
  I hate in-movie and show placeemnts - they are way too obvious and look contrived and forced. I think I'd feel the same about in game advertising.
  
  However, I do agree with the concept of the ads being in certain sports titles. That type of sponsorship is already in real life sports so having it in games won't take away from the realism - I just hope they don't do stupid things like have in game footage that starts with the camera zoomed in on a Nike shoe being laced up and then slowly zoom out until you see the entire football field.
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Storm | June 03, 2008

Haha, they might just do that Redemption. It sounds like a good cutscene that'll sell well for Nike, that's for sure.

I like in-game advertising to a degree. Not so much so as it's in my face every minute in a game, but sparingly. It does feel more 'real.' But Adidas? Inspirational? Ok...I like their backpacks, but that's it.
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Final Blade | June 04, 2008

_{In game advertisements work well in sport games to be honest. I don't really want to see any advertisements in any game but sports.}
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  Redemption | June 04, 2008
  
  Racing titles would be a good candidate for billboards. I just mean it would suck to walk around in GTA V and see tons of obvious ad inserts and product placements.