Advergaming is the use of interactive gaming technology to deliver embedded advertising messages to consumers. Advergaming incorporates branding directly into the gaming environment. With an advergame, you lure the consumer in to interact with your brand, so they can find out on their own that they appreciate and value your brand ideas.

Video game players belong to a young demographic that is especially conditioned to being exposed to advertising, and is more likely to respond favorably to product appearances in their games. For instance, if your logo is pictured on a barrier that the player needs to break through, not only will he be staring intently at your logo, he will have a pleasant association with your product when he does break through.

 

What makes gamers such an ideal audience for product placement?

BENEFIT TO YOUR BRAND
A well-designed game can generate interaction and involvement with your brand. A game is one more way to make your brand more top of mind to consumers. The development costs of a made to order game are relatively inexpensive when compared to other marketing vehicles such as print, television adverts or billboards. Furthermore, the data that can be collected from consumers who engage with your brand through gaming is invaluable. Data collected includes: Demographic, personal details such as age, and purchase preferences. Further market research can be conducted and new market segments realized based on this information. Marketing is a contest for consumer attention. This year, the average consumer will see or hear 1 million marketing messages - that's almost 3,000 per day. Advergaming cuts through the clutter and reaches people on a friendlier level.

HOW DO CONSUMERS GET YOUR GAME
The game sits on a standalone website or is integrated to your present corporate website. It can be played online or downloaded from a website. Either way, it's a surefire way to generate web site traffic and return visits. If the game is intensely playable, it will have a strong pass along rate. By consumers passing along your game, which in essence is your message, they are endorsing your brand.

FACTS
- According to a Jupiter Media Metrix survey, 86% of internet users passed viral messages onto another person. 49% passed them on to more than three people.

- The average time spent in an advergame is 7 to 30 minutes – far beyond the time spent looking at a magazine advert.
- Games are a low cost marketing spend compared to traditional channels like radio and TV.

- Recent research from the Conference Board, NFO and Forrester reveals that 67% of males under 35 are online gamers with 62% of females in the same age category also following suit.
- Fifty percent of gamers are regularly involved in creative activities, such as painting, writing, or playing an instrument. In addition, adult gamers exhibit a high level of interest in current events, with 94% following news and current events, and 78% reporting that they vote in most of the elections for which they are eligible.
- Sixty-nine percent of American heads of households play computer and video games.

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