Archive notice: This article was originally published on June 18, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Companies can measurably increase awareness of their brands and positively influence consumers’ opinions of their products through dynamic campaigns in computer games. This was the finding of a study titled “Consumers’ Experience with In-Game-Content & Brand Impact of In-Game-Advertising,” conducted by Nielsen BASES and Nielsen Games on behalf of IGA Worldwide, the leading in-game advertising network.
One of the study’s most important findings is that most players respond positively to advertising in computer games: 82 percent find a game with advertising just as entertaining as one without it. In addition, positive perceptions of all products advertised in the game increased by an average of 61 percent.
In one of the most comprehensive studies to date on the effectiveness of in-game advertising, Nielsen tested different forms of advertising with a range of brands across several games, rather than just a single brand in one game. The study also shows how IGA Worldwide’s unique advertising opportunities generate high, measurable advertising value.
Nielsen surveyed more than 1,300 PC game users using special game CDs that incorporated IGA Worldwide’s proprietary measurement software with so-called research trackers. This particular method enabled a new, in-depth analysis of user receptiveness to in-game advertising. Participating brands included Taco Bell, Jeep, and Wrigley. The game titles were provided by Electronic Arts and Activision.
“Young adults spend around six hours a week playing video games,” says Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. “Advertisers can therefore be pleased with how well their messages are received and how they support positive perceptions of their brands. The findings we gather from this data will help establish the first research-based measurement standards for in-game advertising. At the same time, they strengthen IGA Worldwide’s position as a powerful in-game network that brands can trust to convey their messages effectively to the target audience.”
“The current growth of in-game advertising makes it an attractive medium for brands seeking to reach hard-to-reach consumers,” adds Elizabeth Harz, Senior Vice President of Global Media Sales at Electronic Arts. “This study supports what many in the industry have known for a long time: in-game advertising is effective and well received by the gaming community.”
“This study proves that dynamic in-game advertising is an influential digital advertising medium,” adds Dave Anderson, Senior Director of Business Development at Activision. “For us, however, how players respond to advertising is just as important. The study clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of users enjoy the game just as much when advertising is integrated into gameplay, if not more. As a game manufacturer, it is good to know that both advertisers and users benefit from dynamic ads.”
“In-game advertising is a good way to deliver targeted brand messages to a highly interesting demographic,” says Chad Stoller, Executive Director at Emerging Platforms Organic, Inc. “This new study shows that the way targeted and context-dependent advertising is presented in video games is very important. By participating in this study with IGA Worldwide, we gained many valuable insights into how to use the medium effectively.”
IGA Worldwide’s network offers dozens of games in a wide variety of genres across multiple platforms, along with a range of standardized above-the-line advertising formats with digital measurability. IGA Worldwide’s metrics comply with industry standards and measure ad presentation during gameplay by taking key criteria such as display time, size, and viewing angle into account. According to eMarketer, the in-game advertising market is expected to grow to $2 billion by 2012, making games the fastest-growing advertising medium. As a result, advertisers are making significant investments in game environments as an effective strategy for reaching their target audiences.
Selected study findings:
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After gameplay, aided advertising recall increases by 44 percent
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All brands recorded a 33 percent increase in positive product attributes
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More than 70 percent of users who were particularly predisposed toward in-game advertising developed a better feeling about the brand through the ads, became more interested in the brand, and believed the ads had been placed by innovative, cutting-edge brands
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More than 60 percent of predisposed users say advertising attracts their attention, makes games more realistic, does not interrupt the gaming experience, and offers products relevant to them
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In-game advertisements lasting more than two seconds, as implemented by IGA Worldwide technology, generate an increase of almost 30 percent in key advertising metrics (including +100% awareness, +42% ad recall, and +27% brand fit) compared with displays lasting less than one second
