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82% of gamers "react positively" to contextual in-game ads
Date: 19/06/2008
Most video-gamers react positively to in-game ads - some 82% say the games are just as enjoyable with such ads as without them - according to a study conducted by Nielsen BASES and Nielsen Games on behalf of in-game advertising network IGA Worldwide.
Moreover, integrating dynamic advertisements into videogame environments provides brands a measured lift in consumer awareness and opinion of the products players are exposed to during game play, the Nielsen study found (via Wired).
There was, post-play, a 61% increase on average in consumers' favorable opinions of products advertised in-game, according to the "Consumers' Experience with In-Game Content & Brand Impact of In-Game Advertising Study."
"With young adults now spending on average six hours a week gaming, advertisers should be excited at how well their messages were embraced and the brands positively perceived," said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide.
Select findings from the study:
- There is an average 44% increase in post-game aided recall from pre-awareness.
- Positive brand attribute association increased 33% across all brands.
- Of consumers with the strongest opinion about in-game ads, both positive and negative, over 70% felt the ads made them feel better about the brand, feel more favourable toward the brand, make them more interested in the brand, and believe the ads are for innovative/cutting edge brands.
- Over 60% of these most opinionated consumers feel the ads catch their attention, make games more realistic, do not interrupt the game experience, and are promoting relevant products.
- In-game ad exposures with a duration over two seconds, as they are measured in IGA's in-game ad methodology, generates on average an almost 30% increase in key ad metrics, including ad noticeability (100%), recall (42%), and fit (27%), vs. ad exposures with a duration of less than one second.
Videogame advertising is poised to grow to a $2B global industry by 2012, according to eMarketer, making games the fastest-growing major advertising medium.
About the study: Nielsen surveyed over 1,300 PC gaming participants in their homes by linking IGA's proprietary measurement software with research trackers embedded within sample game discs. Nielsen tested multiple variables with multiple brands across multiple games, as opposed to just a single brand in a single game. The participating brand advertisers included Taco Bell, Jeep and Wrigley and game titles were provided by Electronic Arts and Activision.
Source: MarketingCharts.com
WFA Comment: It would seem that in the majority of cases advertisers have approached in-game advertising in an integrated and relevant way. This has apparently seen gamers respond positively as reflected in the results of this study. There is potential for learning from in-game advertising for those planning their approaches in new sectors, such as mobile marketing. This channel provides an interesting opportunity for WFA members to connect with an often elusive demographic with considerable scale. This area is planned to be covered in future Digital Network and Media Committee working group meetings. For more information contact Robert Dreblow [email protected]
