It's not just the big-name console games that are cashing advertising revenue checks. Casual games, the kind you play at work when you're avoiding deadlines, are also seeing an influx of ad dollars. Almost 66 million people played some form of online game in December of last year alone, and those games are more popular overall with women than men. Since these games have broad appeal they're perfect for advertisers looking for a mass audience. Some companies, such as Big Fish, are even letting people choose which sponsor they see for a portion of their game-play time.
This sort of sponsored placement within existing games is separate from corporately created advergames, where the marketer creates a game specifically to promote a certain product or brand.
Funny satire of Second Life, the game that is sweeping the nation (though I've never played it once, gone to any sites about it once, or read much about it). It's called Get A First Life, and there really isn't much to the site (no links to click, etc). It's more of a one page parody of the entire Second Life genre, how people can actually access the real world outside of their homes.
"First Life is a 3-D analog world where server lag does not exist."
Reports have come out saying Google is in talks to acquire Adscape Media, a company that dynamicly inserts ads into video games over the internet. In fact, a deal could be immenent, coming as early as this week. Adding video game ad-insertion to its stable of product offerings would be an important addition to Google as they look for new ways to grow their all-important advertising revenue. AdScape's chairman Bernard Stolar wouldn't comment on specifics, saying only that his company had been in touch with every major player in the field. It's presumed that excludes Microsoft, which already owns Massive, a company that does the same sort of ad-insertion.
This is just a little bit more than the law will allow.
Behavioral targeting networks are just going to get bigger as advertisers look to, well, track how people are behaving across a network of websites. For example, Dow Jones has switched to Tacoda to handle its profiling.
Yes, the web is for entertainment as well as info and search. Anyone who has spent hours on YouTube watching "Robot Chicken" clips could have told you that.
Memo to Apple: The iPhone still needs to have a marketing campaign behind it in order for it to be successful.
We're always talking about how product placement and other forms of ads are making more and more inroads into video games but here's one I don't think we've covered before. Advertisers are now putting their messaging inside "easter eggs" in the game or otherwise making them surprising to the player. This takes a feature that had previously been reserved for serving up some value to game-play (using codes to get extra lives, more ammunition, etc) and turning it into an ad hook.
The impetus to include promotional material in the game is especially strong when the game is part of a larger property such as a movie. Two recent examples, Superman Returns and Eragon, show how the movie or DVD and the game are intertwined, with content from one showing up on the other.
Not everyone is a fan, though. Some gamers aren't thrilled with game-play being interrupted with ads. That's not surprising since the games are pretty expensive to begin with to then have their time sold off to advertisers.
Because it's New Year's weekend and we all need a laugh that doesn't come from Ryan Seacrest sounding like an ass, I present to you The Onion's latest man-on-the-street interview. This time America's Finest News Source is gauging opinions on ads being inserted into sports video games.
While we're talking video games, here's the Nintendo Wii Fanboy's take on Nintendo's targeting of moms in their marketing of the new console.
Blogging Stocks wonders just how much faith investors will have in Google's sustainable growth as we enter 2007.
Slashfood lists the top 10 creepiest fast-food mascots and earns my everlasting respect by including the Domino's Noid, one of the first characters I remember ever getting his own video game.
TV Squad reports that ABC is running a campaign to recruit members of the "Knights of Prosperity" that's focused on reaching pre- and post-Christmas shoppers.
Also at TV Squad, there's word that NBC will be putting the young attractive players of a sport called "hok-eee" front and center in the network's marketing of their broadcasts.
Auto Blog says that General Motors will be carpet-bombing Times Square (I typed that just so I'd wind up getting an email from the NSA) on New Years Eve with hats, billboards and more.
Also from the Auto Blog is word that Ford chief Alan Mulally has a secret "war room" where all of the companies marketing and other initiatives are mapped out and charted.
PVR Wires passes on a report from Nielsen that says it's not actually reality shows that should be getting those big product placement dollars but scripted shows since they're better at avoiding time-shifted viewing.
Engadget Mobile has their own take on Verizon's plan to sell banner ads that will be displayed to wireless device users.
The video game "Atari Test Drive Unlimited" will have a bunch of Lexus models that players can download and drive within the game. That comes as a result of a deal Lexus has made to have the cars placed within the Xbox 360 title. Channel M brokered the deal, which will initially offer gamers the IS350 to drive followed by four more models this coming spring. Lexus is actually the third car brand to be in the game, with Audi and Nissan preceeding it to the virtual road.
Blogging Stocks says that former New York mayor (and likely 2008 Presidential candidate) Rudy Gulliani has been hired by Circuit City to promote their Firedog home electronics expertise practice.
The guys at BS (heh) are also talking about how CNBC's Jim Cramer is hot on an outdoor advertising firm that is well positioned with new media technologies. Of course Cramer also likes very old-media companies as well.
Joystiq let's out a tremendous "well duh!" over an article that says games like Halo 3 are going to be big sellers. They also mention that even games set in the distant past can get in-game ad dollars - it just requires a bit of creative thinking.
PVR Wire passes on an early rejected ad from TiVo that mocks the very idea of network programmers still having control over TV watching schedules. PVW is also giving us more details on TiVo's "program placement" product and passes along the discontent they and other people are feeling over Comcast putting ads on their program guide.
Mochi Media has created a new ad network that will allow for the insertion of dynamic ads into free online games. The ads will appear while those online games are loading. That's been done before but Mochi Media's network will allow for ads to be served regardless of the site that's hosting the game. As with all other automated systems for dynamic ad insertion, this is being described as the "AdSense for (X platform)," a description that may or may not be accurate depending on how useful advertisers find it.
Microsoft's Halo is the most successful video game franchise right now and the biggest one I have seen to date. Microsoft will begin airing ads for the third installment on December 15th, but the odd thing is that Halo 3 doesn't even come out until next fall. Early, or strange as this may sound, it is a good strategy. Halo really doesn't need to rely on buzz too much, since there is an enormous fan-base who would line up at Best Buy now to buy the game given the chance but Microsoft is smart to create the biggest buzz possible anyway. Part of the strategy involves having fans watch the game's trailer more than once to juice every bit of detail and some "secret" out of it, which may induce a Halo Fever. Another factor in this is the idea that releasing Halo 2 to PC users when Windows Vista comes out in February will help spur the sales of Halo 3 as well. All us PC users who have thus far been waiting for Halo 2 to arrive on our desktop will (hopefully) be itching to get Halo 3 shortly after, and our wish will be granted. You can also sign-up for the Halo 3 beta (to test out the game before anyone else) coming next year. A secret inside look at the latest in the hottest video game franchise? Good way to market the game.
2k Games, the maker of such titles as "MLB 2K8" and other sports games, has signed Double Fusion to deliver in-game ads for nine of its titles. The primary component of the deal will be placing static ads in the game through signage or product placement. There's also the possibility, though, of dynamic ads being served to the online version through Sony's Playstation 3. That is dependent on Sony allowing in-game ads within its online titles, though. The company is not pursuing that same sort of deal with Microsoft for its Xbox 360 console since Microsoft owns its own in-game firm, Massive.
Joystiq has a couple good posts up. First, the 11/28 broadcast of ESPN's "SportsCenter" was brought to viewers solely by Microsoft on behalf of the Xbox360. They also pass on the opinion that in-game advertising should make those video games either free or greatly reduced in price.
PVR Wire weighs in on Match.com's sponsorship of the TBS sitcom "My Boys" and reminds everyone to keep their product placement deals above board and obvious.
Styledash talks about the Miu Miu campaign that won't be featuring Jessica Simpson.
The folks at Slashfood are seeing a huge picture of the KFC Colonel in the desert, which is disturbing on at least a couple different levels.
Cinematical has a "WTF moment" over the dropping of ads for The Nativity Story from a German Christmas festival in Chicago.
Lots of good stuff from around the WIN world lately:
Slashfood explores 2007's likely food trends, including a heavy emphasis on the marketing of foods whose ingredients come from the Amazon region and other such exotic locales.
An ad for the PSP game system popped up on MarthaStewart.com and PSP Fanboy has a screengrab along with with comments about how Sony's marketing the item to moms.
Blogging Baby points out that rapper 50 Cent has a problem with guns being OK on the posters for every movie but his own.
TV Squad talks about the old sitcom "Bosom Buddies," with Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari playing two cross-dressing advertising execs, coming to DVD.
The growing rise of advergames by companies is touched on by our friends at Joystiq.
PVR Wire has a ton of good posts up, including a YouTube channel of TiVo promos, this note on Charter Communication's new VOD advertising program, a study showing that DVRs won't mean the end of TV commercials, an ad from Radio Shack for a Series 2 TiVo and a DirecTV ad from Uruguay.
Styledash wonders just how much of the excitement over the "right-hand ring" is due to consumer demand or marketing hype.
While the marketing campaign for girl-focused video games is indeed insulting to everyone, it's merely a symptom of the shoddy games that are actually produced for girls according to DS Fanboy.
Cinematical has the details on director David Lynch's weird - and I mean weird - cow-focused promotional campaign for his new film Inland Empire.
TV Squad points us to the just plain funny Japanese version of Apple's "Mac Vs. PC" ads.
Also at TV Squad is this story about Nielsen's attempt to get into measuring video-on-demand now that it's becoming a viable ad medium.
Then there's this post from Joel about last Thursday's night of a thousand product placements on NBC.
Cinematical says Philip Morris is taking out ads asking the movie industry to no longer use its cigarette brands in movies. This is a total PR move since the actual way this happens is by talking to the studios and not taking out general ads, even if they are in trade publications.
PSP Fanboy looks at the new Sony ad that has a man chasing after the girl of his dreams - one that plays video games.
While pointing to a new commercial that uses footage from Office Space to sell the World of Warcraft video game, Cinematical also questions how much longer the use of dead celebrity footage can last before someone really angers the film community.
It's not just the big-name console games that are cashing advertising revenue checks. Casual games, the kind you play at work when you're avoiding deadlines, are also seeing an influx of ad dollars. Almost 66 million people played some form of online game in December of last year alone, and those games are more popular overall with women than men. Since these games have broad appeal they're perfect for advertisers looking for a mass audience. Some companies, such as Big Fish, are even letting people choose which sponsor they see for a portion of their game-play time. 
Funny satire of Second Life, the game that is sweeping the nation (though I've never played it once, gone to any sites about it once, or read much about it). It's called 
Reports 
This is just a little bit more than the law will allow.
We're always talking about how product placement and other forms of ads are making more and more inroads into 
Because it's New Year's weekend and we all need a laugh that doesn't come from Ryan Seacrest sounding like an ass, I present to you The Onion's latest man-on-the-street interview. This time America's Finest News Source is gauging opinions on ads being inserted into sports video games.
Second Life Insider has a bit of 
The video game "Atari Test Drive Unlimited" will have a bunch of Lexus models that players can download and drive within the game. That comes as a result of a deal Lexus has made to have the cars placed within the Xbox 360 title. Channel M brokered the deal, which will initially offer gamers the IS350 to drive followed by four more models this coming spring. Lexus is actually the third car brand to be in the game, with Audi and Nissan preceeding it to the virtual road.
Mochi Media has created a new ad network that will allow for the insertion of dynamic ads into free online games. The ads will appear while those online games are loading. That's been done before but Mochi Media's network will allow for ads to be served regardless of the site that's hosting the game. As with all other automated systems for dynamic ad insertion, this is being described as the "AdSense for (X platform)," a description that may or may not be accurate depending on how useful advertisers find it.
Joystiq has a couple good posts up. First, the 11/28 broadcast of ESPN's "SportsCenter" was brought to viewers 
Lots of good stuff from around the WIN world lately:
