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In-Game Ads Make Products More Appealing

Posted by Zonk on from the not-to-everybody dept.

Opposable Thumbs has the gist of a report indicating that in-game ads really are successful at increasing consumer interest in a product. "In a study that began in 2004 and included 600 gamers, gaming-advertisement firm Massive Inc.--a subsidiary of Microsoft--found that in-game advertising increased average brand familiarity as much as 64 percent. The study included two groups: a control group and a test group. Both played Need for Speed: Carbon, but only the test group was exposed to ads from Massive Inc. The study showed a 69 percent increase in automotive purchase consideration between the test and control groups made up of men between 18 and 24. The respondents also indicated that 'quick service restaurant' brands were 'cool' because they were advertised in games ('cool' is left undefined)."

8 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. ...to advertisers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    n/t

  2. I must confess by Disseminated · · Score: 3, Interesting

    After falling deeply madly in love with SSX3, I thought dnL soda and the Honda Element were pretty cool things.

    Not to mention the many albums from Astralwerks artists that I've bought as a DIRECT result of that game... tho that might be a seperate issue. ;-} I got to sample and enjoy that particular product integrated in the game as the soundtrack, rather than just obtusely associated via in-game advertisement.

  3. conflict of interest by hc5duke · · Score: 5, Insightful
    (emph mine)

    In a study that began in 2004 and included 600 gamers, gaming-advertisement firm

    No, I don't see any conflict of interest at all...

  4. Major bias by Coopjust · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In a study that began in 2004 and included 600 gamers, gaming-advertisement firm Massive Inc.

    Of course the company that offers advertising solutions is going to find that in-game advertising is effective! They have a direct interest in getting more advertisers and games to advertise in.

    On the topic of in-game advertising, it can be implemented properly. I don't mind walking by a Coca Cola machine vs. a generic soda machine. And in Crackdown, there were some billboards, but they were in an urban area, so they fit in.

    However, a lot of ingame advertising is insultingly bad. That's why I didn't buy Battlefield 2142 (completely unrealistic ads), and why I dropped my subscription to Planetside for a while (it damaged any sense of belonging in the game- seeing an ad for Jeep as you get in your VTOL aircraft).

  5. I don't mind... by Omeger · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ads in games as long as they make sense given the game's setting. If I'm playing a futuristic shooter I don't want a McDonalds ad, unless it's some kind of futuristic funny mcd's like store or maybe a destroyed billboard in a post apocolyptic setting.

  6. No thanks. Keep your spam to yourself. by Whammy666 · · Score: 5, Informative

    There is no way in hell I'm purchasing a game that spams me, especially considering that games are close to $60 in price. When I play a game, I want to be immersed in the game itself and not some billboard-infested advertising zone.

    --
    When all else fails, run.
    1. Re:No thanks. Keep your spam to yourself. by nahdude812 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      A lot of people say, "I'm ok with it if it reduces the price of the game," but I haven't heard a single game company offering this as a motivation. No one has said, "Our development costs are rising, so to offset the load of this on the consumer, we're going to start offering a version of the game with advertising that costs less." No, all of the game developer community discussion has been surrounding whether or not gamers would accept the advertising. This is only a supplemental revenue stream which will degrade gaming experience without offering anything back to us, the gamers.

      I think they under-estimate the willpower of the up and coming generation to avoid advertising though. It won't be long at all until someone has an adblock-style product for gaming. Perhaps it locks games processes down to certain ports (only the ports necessary for online play). If they deliver advertising over those ports, then expect it to modify the process memory at run-time to purge advertisements. Now that is a service I would pay for.

      --
      Slay a dragon... over lunch!
  7. If the Prices Drop... by gral · · Score: 4, Insightful

    to $20 for a game with in-game ads as opposed to $60 for a game without in-game ads. Then, I am all for in-game ads.

    If the price of the games stay at $60, then I want to know which games has the ads, so I can avoid them.

    --
    Scott Carr