In-game advertising - advertising medium of the future
In Switzerland, in-game advertising is still a niche market. This is shown in a bachelor's thesis from the Fribourg School of Business.
In today's multimedia society, people are confronted with a plethora of advertising messages every day. The recipients of advertising messages usually react by avoiding advertising in order to reduce cognitive overload. In the battle for the attention of potential customers, advertisers are therefore increasingly faced with the problem of customers avoiding the messages and thus not achieving the advertising objectives. Against this backdrop, program-integrated forms of advertising such as in-game advertising are becoming increasingly popular with advertising practitioners, as they can circumvent the recipients' selection and defense mechanisms. A bachelor's thesis at the Freiburg University of Applied Sciences examined the possibilities and limitations of in-game advertising. Specialists from Germany and abroad were interviewed.
In-game advertising - facts and figures
In-game advertising is the planned, systematic integration of advertising measures into the virtual game world with the aim of achieving the advertising company's communication and/or sales targets.
On behalf of IGA Worldwide, Nielsen Bases and Nielsen Games surveyed 1,300 PC game users for the study "Consumers' Experience with In-Game Content & Brand Impact of In-Game Advertising". The most important results include the positive reaction of players to advertising in video games: 82 percent find a game with advertising just as entertaining as one without. In addition, the positive perception of all products advertised in the game increased by 61 percent on average. With a potential of up to 20 million gamers between the ages of 14 and 39 and around 3.7 million online gamers in Germany alone, one in four people pick up a gamepad.
The average gamer in the USA today is 35 years old, in Germany 33 years old. Last year, 26 percent of Americans over the age of 50 played games, compared to just 9 percent in 1999. 40 percent of all US gamers are women, compared to 33 percent in Germany. It is therefore logical that the Game
community is also an interesting target group in terms of advertising.
How can in-game advertising be used?
In-game advertising is an innovative marketing instrument in the context of communication policy that can be used to address attractive target groups. However, the use of in-game advertising to make a brand known should be avoided. Advertising in games is perfect for conveying a brand message, getting a brand talked about and anchoring it more firmly in people's minds. The same mechanisms that are responsible for the success of viral marketing are often used here.
However, it is also important to ensure that the game does not lose its authenticity through the use of advertising, which could result in a loss of image for the advertiser. When used in moderation, in-game advertising can enhance the enjoyment of the game. If too much advertising is integrated into a game, on the other hand, there is a risk of advertising overload, similar to TV. Last but not least, in-game advertising is used in the area of public affairs in politics during elections. Last year's campaign by Barack Obama in the US presidential election can be mentioned as a successful example.
Markus Buchs and Max Meister
Further results of the work
1. only dynamic in-game advertising will "survive" in the future.
2. only high-reach games with interesting and focused target groups are promising.
3. in-game advertising offers excellent targeting opportunities.
4. creative productions are possible.
5. the target groups' acceptance of suitable brands and productions is very high. User resistance is surprisingly low.
6. intensive contact possibilities with the advertising medium with image-building character.
Future
Here in Germany, advertisers often still have a certain inhibition threshold when it comes to using in-game advertising. This is in stark contrast to the UK or Germany, for example. But sooner or later there will be a rethink here too. In the Swiss market, it will be crucial to create standards and have requirements certified. Only in this way can in-game advertising be made palatable to advertisers as a serious marketing and communication channel.
In-game advertising - facts and figures
In-game advertising is the planned, systematic integration of advertising measures into the virtual game world with the aim of achieving the advertising company's communication and/or sales targets.
On behalf of IGA Worldwide, Nielsen Bases and Nielsen Games surveyed 1,300 PC game users for the study "Consumers' Experience with In-Game Content & Brand Impact of In-Game Advertising". The most important results include the positive reaction of players to advertising in video games: 82 percent find a game with advertising just as entertaining as one without. In addition, the positive perception of all products advertised in the game increased by 61 percent on average. With a potential of up to 20 million gamers between the ages of 14 and 39 and around 3.7 million online gamers in Germany alone, one in four people pick up a gamepad.
The average gamer in the USA today is 35 years old, in Germany 33 years old. Last year, 26 percent of Americans over the age of 50 played games, compared to just 9 percent in 1999. 40 percent of all US gamers are women, compared to 33 percent in Germany. It is therefore logical that the Game
community is also an interesting target group in terms of advertising.
How can in-game advertising be used?
In-game advertising is an innovative marketing instrument in the context of communication policy that can be used to address attractive target groups. However, the use of in-game advertising to make a brand known should be avoided. Advertising in games is perfect for conveying a brand message, getting a brand talked about and anchoring it more firmly in people's minds. The same mechanisms that are responsible for the success of viral marketing are often used here.
However, it is also important to ensure that the game does not lose its authenticity through the use of advertising, which could result in a loss of image for the advertiser. When used in moderation, in-game advertising can enhance the enjoyment of the game. If too much advertising is integrated into a game, on the other hand, there is a risk of advertising overload, similar to TV. Last but not least, in-game advertising is used in the area of public affairs in politics during elections. Last year's campaign by Barack Obama in the US presidential election can be mentioned as a successful example.
Markus Buchs and Max Meister
Further results of the work
1. only dynamic in-game advertising will "survive" in the future.
2. only high-reach games with interesting and focused target groups are promising.
3. in-game advertising offers excellent targeting opportunities.
4. creative productions are possible.
5. the target groups' acceptance of suitable brands and productions is very high. User resistance is surprisingly low.
6. intensive contact possibilities with the advertising medium with image-building character.
Future
Here in Germany, advertisers often still have a certain inhibition threshold when it comes to using in-game advertising. This is in stark contrast to the UK or Germany, for example. But sooner or later there will be a rethink here too. In the Swiss market, it will be crucial to create standards and have requirements certified. Only in this way can in-game advertising be made palatable to advertisers as a serious marketing and communication channel.
