The practice
of using video games to promote a particular product or an organization is
known as “Advergaming”. Wired magazine first used this term in a column to
describe the commissioning of free online games by large companies, in 2001.
There are three categories of Advergaming: ATL Advergaming, BTL Advergaming and
TTL Advergaming.
ATL
Advergaming can be vaguely explained as a promotional video game. The business
incorporates interactive video games on their website so as to create more
awareness about their product among the website visitors. This method is also
used to attract more visitors to the site and to increase the traffic flow on
the website. If the games are made for product advertising, the product is
highlighted in the game.
Before the
invention of the internet, floppy disks and later compact disks were used as a
medium to promote games and in turn a particular product. It started with
floppy disk basically to create awareness as well as product promotion. The
first Advergame was distributed by American Home Food, which was developed by
Chef Boyardee. Taco Bell and Coca Cola followed it by giving customers floppy
disks containing promotional games. The first Advergame to be distributed on
compact disk was by Chex and General Mill. The graphics of these games have
matured from arcade style flash to three-dimensional.
BTL
Advergaming comprises of recruitment tools like In-game advertising, militiamen
and edutainment. Usually the mascot of the particular company is depicted as
the hero in such games. Pepsi man and Burger man were the mascots used in
promotional games designed by Pepsi and Burger King respectively. The storyline
of these games can be commercial, educational or political like the game American
Army created to attract more youth towards devoting their life to army and also
games meant to promote sports like Formula One racing are also a part of this
technique.
In-game
advertising is more commercial type and is purely targeted for promotion of the
product via the game. This is really picking up and even movies are promoted by
this method. Like on the website of the movie, The Mummy, there are games which
have a storyline similar to the movie and the player is given knowledge of the
facts about the movie and its subject, Egyptian Mummy. Educational Advergaming
refers to games that portray a moral message to the players.
These games
can also act as a medium of advertisement themselves like in the video game of
EA Sports; banners of Pepsi line the frame of the game. By using this strategy
the companies are able to provide low price or free games to the
consumers. This is also effective in
reducing the price of games that have a monthly fee.
TTL
Advergaming or through the line Advergaming is the most rare form of
Advergaming. URL links are embedded into a game that takes the players to the
web pages, which has BTL Advergaming. Different methods are used to attract the
player to a particular webpage. In the game ” Enter the Matrix” URL hyperlinks
are depicted in the background, which the player is forced to click to learn
about the facts relating to the plot of the next level and at the same time
advertises about the product. The curiosity to learn about the theme of the
game attracts the player, although it might not be necessary to click to finish
the game. Such kinds of games are
usually known as link-chases as one link will lead to another. Website visitors
are sometimes tempted with a prize to prompt them to click the URL.
This
technique of advertising is really beneficial as it not only creates awareness
among the player but also among his friends who lands the website upon friend’s
suggestion. The success of Advergaming is dependant on word of mouth and thus
is also known as viral marketing. In the year 2004, this industry generated
around $83.6 million and involved 105 million players.
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