Business & Games: The Blog

Above all, advertisers must keep the consumer experience positive in order to gain brand awareness and loyalty. Game play should never be interrupted, and advertising should be presented at natural breaks in the game - such as at the beginning of game play and in between levels.

The advertiser will benefit from a captive user who is highly engaged with game play, while the consumer benefits from additional, free hours of entertainment and enjoyment. It's this mutual respect and benefit that will help grow the model for years to come.

 

Quotes:

"For those advertisers considering in-game advertising, there are several choices available. The most hyped option in 2006 was dynamic ads within core games. However, reach and frequency for these ads is still insignificant. Furthermore, the advertiser is required to have an intimate knowledge of a game to blend within its environment without violating elements of the scene. For instance, if a game is happening in the year 2040, it doesn't make sense to place an ad announcing a new release of a 2006 car. In addition, leveraging powerful video ads in core games is almost impossible. Another option that has been available to advertisers for years is fixed product placement within games. Envision a car racing game that may feature real brands on billboards and cars, conforming to the gamer's expectations about how racing environments look in the real world."

"The most effective way for the advertiser to get the reach and frequency they require - along with the ability to serve powerful video ads backed by full standard advertising metrics are through in-game streaming video ads within downloadable casual games. Standard implementations empower the advertiser to release a campaign in just a few days on dozens of games, reaching millions of users without the need for an intimate knowledge of each game environment."

"Effective online branding is about reaching a significant number of end users, getting the target audience's attention, and engaging the audience in an immersive brand experience. Online marketing presents an opportunity for advertisers to reach niche audiences and to unify their branding activities across multiple channels. In-game advertising is one of the most effective channels available for reaching these goals."

"Moreover, in-game advertising is complementary to TV advertising because of the level and duration of user engagement, which mirrors the involvement viewers have with their favorite TV shows. Rarely will advertisers find an online channel that has users engaged for hours at a time as they are with PC games, and this translates well for advertisers looking to play 15 or 30 second streaming video ads."

• Ran Cohen