In-Games Advertising is Successful

[CSN NewsBot]

In-gamer adverts are apparently doing quite well for themselves. This is according to a research study done by Massive Inc., an ad agency that is a subsidiary of Microsoft.

Across all game genres and advertisers studied, the research revealed that an average of 70 percent of gamers agreed with statements that the dynamic in-game ads "contributed to realism," "fit the games" in which they were served and looked "cool."

Here are some more "facts" and "figures" tossed at you in the press release.

• 75% recalled an ad for a candy bar in NASCAR '08
  
  
• 56% called that candy bar ad "creative"
  
  
• 72% said that it "a great snack to eat while playing video games" (an increase of 29% over a control group)
  
  
• The candy bar "gives you energy" and "is cool" went up 24% and 21% over the control group findings
  
  
• 80% of the gamers exposed to an ad for a new release DVD stated that "they would probably or definitely purchase the DVD"

If you're someone who dislikes advertisement in their gaming contributing nothing to the game itself, you can be sure and thank any of the 1,000 gamers surveyed in this study! Be sure you tell them how "cool" you think their findings were while you think up other "totally bodacious" and "rad" buzz words to use.



As for me, I'm alright with ads if they don't hinder my enjoyment of a game, are unobtrusive, and aren't tossed in my face every 3 seconds. But if they don't add anything to a game, or are out of place, you had best believe my opinion of a title is going to decline.

[kalabalana]

80% were going to buy the DVD.



Anyone else smell pure bullshit?

[Diamond Dust]

Of course an ad in a nascar game is fine, nascar is all about advertising. Sports and ads will always work fine.

[StealthMonkey]

Yeah, including an ad around a track in NASCAR, or behind home plate in a baseball game, or on a poster on a telephone poll in GTA IV... all that is good. But the obscene ads in CS 1.6 are ridiculous and need to go. They are out of place and distracting.

[BUveed]

kalabalana wrote..

80% were going to buy the DVD.



Anyone else smell pure bullshit?

They're gamers. It should read....80% were going to "buy" the DVD.

[kalabalana]

BUveed wrote..

They're gamers. It should read....80% were going to "buy" the DVD.

haha, I understand now

[Admz]

Damn just reading this news post makes me want to buy a candy bar.

[WillsAM]

lol :) Personally, I'm fine with ingame advertising. There's plenty of opportunities in the majority of games to squeeze in advertising. L4D for example, is set in and around cities, to me it just adds to the authenticity if recognisable brands are present as you play.



The only thing I fear is breaking the fourth wall, by wording adverts to appeal to gamers... like "Need an extra adrenaline boost whilst playing L4D? Redbull gives you zombie wings!"

[mifdeath]

What the hell is a *candy* bar? Ive always secretly wondered, is it like a chocolate bar without chocolate? Or is it truly a bar of candy?



On the ingame adverts though, if one could get advertising revenue as a small game designer that would be advantageous, however we all know it will become obtrusive and ill placed.

If creative control could continue to be held by the designers even under industrial design circumstances (EA) perhaps it would be pleasant and like some others here are saying, almost expected in its proper usage.

[ALT+F4]

"The candy bar "gives you energy" and "is cool" said the White House Press Secretary.



Advertisements in locales where ads are expected isn't TOO bad but when it's the same game or DVD poster around every corner, or worse, a giant game server billboard in some 3rd world combat zone, it just takes you right out of the game.

[Linux]

BUveed wrote..

They're gamers. It should read....80% were going to "buy" the DVD.

Yeah seriously, haha. I still think there not much need for in-game ad unless they fit correctly into the game..

[IC dead people]

BUveed wrote..

They're gamers. It should read....80% were going to "buy" the DVD.

Quoted and double quoted for the truth!



This whole study sounds as bogus as a Detergent advert "demonstration"