The Untapped Potential for Advertising in Games
Year: 1895.
Dust rolls over your muddy Fyre boots. Sounds of horses can be heard in the distance. But the only thing on your mind is a drink. You make your way into the saloon. A slick dressed man plays a Baldwin piano in the corner, rendering an instrumental version of Radiohead’s latest track.
You walk up to the bar.
The bartender approaches, ”What will it be?”
“Something strong, nothing cheap.”
“I just got this in… it’s from a new distiller called Jack… Jack Daniels.”
He pours your drink. You knock it back.
“If you’re looking for food, we don’t have much on the menu but---”
“As long as you have Heinz, anything will taste great.”
You grab your drink and head to the table. As you take a sip of your drink, the titles appear: ‘Red Dead Redemption 3’
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Okay, okay, maybe it is a little brand-heavy, but it illustrates how brands can be integrated into games. If the global games market is looking at generate revenues of over $187 billion,?why aren’t brands properly occupying this space?! [1]
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Perhaps it is because when millennials grew up, gaming was as a nerdy pastime. I had to keep my habits on the down-low or I’d have been shunned by my entire friend group, not to mention any potential love interests. But the world has changed. Today, the gaming industry is cool, and games are pervasive. Some brands are taking advantage of paid-to-watch games… What are you going to do when you need your carrots to grow quicker, and you’ve run out of diamonds? You watch ads. Most ads that are watched to earn gaming currency are, quite frankly a bit boring, and they’re typically adverts for other games made by the same developer. But I’m not just talking about this space, I’m talking about AAA games.
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Released in 2013, Grand Theft Auto V considered the second most popular video game of all time[2], and still boast an active user base of 19 million per month[3] . Billboards that make up the LA-inspired San Andreas skyline advertise fabricated products. Gamers spend hours on their iFruit phone and trying to save enough gaming dollars to buy a sports car that resembles a Lamborghini. The setting is ripe for real-life brands to advertise to in the fictional world but they’re not. Perhaps it’s because they don’t want to be associated with celebrating criminal activity, but House of Card’s Claire Underwood used apple products and she’s no saint…
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One of V’s missions, in Cyberpunk 2077, is to track down Johnny Silverhand's (Keanu Reeves) jacket. But imagine that jacket wasn’t just any old jacket, it was a Joe Rocket branded jacket with an obvious logo and a line or two in the script. Imagine the hype if they then released that jacket in real life. Or if all the mods you bought in game were future AMD products.
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As an avid gamer, I know that that gaming isn’t just escapism, it’s a dynamic, interactive experience. Advertising agencies have the potential to bridge the gap between games and brands by creating seamless experiences that complement the story. These brand experiences could be integrated through online play and gaming patches. Imagine your radio ad being played on Grand Theft Auto 6’s radio stations.
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Gaming takes us to new, exciting worlds, often even to other planets. The next generation of advertising in gaming has limitless potential.?
[1] Explore the global games market in 2023 by Tom Wijman, Newzoo, International B.V.
We believe the immersive nature of games offers unique opportunities for authentic and seamless brand placements.
Strategic Marketing Communications Professional | Writer | Sports & Gaming | Brand Sponsorship Storyteller
6 个月I enjoyed this take! It seems that racing video games are already doing just this, but that just mimics real life. Brand logos are ALL over race cars. Unsurprisingly, some of the snarkier gaming media are already whining: https://kotaku.com/ea-electronic-arts-in-game-ads-advertisements-ufc-1851464110
Managing Director, TCO London Agency, Huck, Little White Lies, Sandwich
6 个月I'd like to see brands offer perks in the real world for what you accomplish in a game.
Managing Director / Colourist at Film Shed
6 个月Looks like there's a gap in the market!
Head of Photography at Darwin Studio - Representing photographers and directors.
6 个月Like a lot of people, I play games to escape the world. Not to be sold some brands latest output. It's untapped for a reason. Imagine reading a book and it has ads in it ??