Difference between revisions of "AdverGaming"
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Revision as of 18:25, 18 December 2011
Advergaming is the practice of using advertising techniques in games and within game play. With the bloom of the information revolution and the internet bubble, the use of advergaming has greatly increased. One of the most widely used purposes of advergaming is to reinforce certain brands and encourage frequent and/or repeated traffic to the websites and/or games. Advergaming is used by marketers to help collect data and with the possibility of further promotion by " word of mouth" with the gamers and their friends are also considered. Games for advertising are sometimes looked at as a type of serious game because these types of games have a strong influence either educationally or training purposes other than solely entertainment. [1]
Contents
Background
15% of time in males age 18 to 34 lives is spent playing video games, and so games are targets for advertising opportunities.[2] Additionally, recent polls show that 36% of game players have acted on an advertisement they saw while playing a video game. [2] Of game players surveyed, "11 percent of gamers said they purchased a brand advertised in a game; 19 percent said they talked about a product after seeing it in an in-game ad; 10 percent said they recommended the product to friends; and 11 percent said they looked up more information on the brand seen." [2] Experts estimate that, by 2011, global spending for advertising space in video games will reach one billion dollars. [2]
Types of AdverGaming
Above The Line (ATL) AdverGaming
Common examples of above the line advergaming include promotional software in hope that potential customers will be attracted by the game and spent more time playing the game which could be on the company’s website or hope that the customer becomes more product aware.
These games themselves often all about featuring the company’s product and are sometimes redrafted arcade classics or may be originally programmed for the company. [3]
Below The Line (BTL) AdverGaming
Common examples of below the line advergaming include traditional in-game advertising and recruitment tools. The subjects that are advertised for this type of advergaming may be for commercial, political, or educational purposes. For this technique of advertising within the game, advertisements like billboards or fliers and especially product placement are used with the interplay between the player. These elements permit for a great degree of virtual advertisement.
In game below the line advergaming can potentially lower costs that the makers of the game experience, which can therefore reduce the cost of the game for the customers. The challenge here is to find the perfect balance for the amount of advertising so that the gamers do not gain a sense of irritation from the advertising.
Through The Line (TTL) AdverGaming
Examples of through the line advergaming include “link-chases” and viral marketing. Through the line advergaming tries to provoke the player to visit websites that typically contain below the line advergaming with the use of URL hyperlinks which are with in the game itself. The strategy to get the player to visit these URL’s differ form game to game. Websites that use TTL advergaming often lead players on to other links which lead to more links and so on and thus warranting the name "link-chases." [4] In games such as Enter the Matrix, I Love Bees and Lost Experience, they have URLs make up a part of the backgrounds of the games such that certain plot details can only be learned by following the link that is provided in the game. The knowledge of such plot details are normally not required to complete the game, but adds to the experience of the game with a fuller story for fans.
Advergaming Businesses
"Gamewok is an online advergaming platform available to brand owners, interactive marketing specialists, media planners and digital agencies. GameWok.com offers easy-to-use solutions for all advergaming needs, while maintaining entertainment value and timely delivery for brand launches and campaigns." [5] Not only has a market of advertising in gaming environments, but also a market for advergaming itself. Gamewok is advertised as a user friendly 4 step process and clients have access to experienced game developers, programmers, and customer service. [5]
Ethics of Advergaming
Role in Childhood obesity
Many of the main advertisers that utilize the practice of advergaming do so in order to target the younger generation. Among these advertisers are major food brands such as Kraft and McDonalds that use advergaming in the form of food-themed games to draw kids to their site, and keep them coming back [6]. Though advergaming cannot be blamed for the childhood obesity epidemic America has seen recently, it does play a role. According to a poll of 3,000 children conducted by Intuitive Media, 43% of the respondents answered that they were more likely to eat a food or snack if they saw it online or in a game. Furthermore, 61% answered that they visit food websites [7]. Advergaming's influence on children has facilitated the rise in childhood obesity and is a practice that should be regulated carefully.
See Also
References
- ↑ Ernest Adams (2009-07-09). "Sorting Out the Genre Muddle". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Wedekind, Jennifer. "Advergaming." Multinational Monitor 26.3 (2008): 56. Print.
- ↑ ""What Kind of Advergame is it?" - Four Categories That Make Actual Sense.". Sneaky Games. April 10, 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
- ↑ ""Advergames, Viral games, and online flash games design" Front Network". Frontnetwork.net. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Anonymous. "GameWok.com Delivers Advergaming Solutions." Marketing Weekly News [Atlanta] 10 Oct. 2009: 98.
- ↑ http://eliciaroberts.com/2011/02/advergaming-and-ethics/
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6905072.stm
