Monday
Online AdverGaming - An Effective Marketing Tool
The growing popularity of gaming among consumers – and interest from brands - started with online gaming. Brands like Nike, Pepsi and General Mills incorporated their brands into online games to increase sales, improve brand recall, and generate positive brand impressions.
Daimler Chrysler became so enthusiastic about advergaming that the company’s vice president of Jeep and Business-to-Consumer/Customer Relationship Management, Jeff Bell, announced last year at the Electronic Entertainment Expo that Daimler Chrysler has begun funding the production of video games. The company has launched online games such as Jeep Rescue Patrol, Dodge Midnight Racers and Chrysler Get Up & Go.
The results of Daimler Chyrsler’s efforts have been encouraging. The Chrysler Get Up & Go game was launched on the Chrysler brand Website (www.chrysler.com) on August 13, 2002. During the first week after being launched, more than 40,000 people played the game. From August 13th to August 25th, 2002, there were a total of 39,305 visits to the site, 15,638 registrations and 68% of the visitors opted in for further communications.
Craig Holland is president of Thumbworks (www.thumbworks.com), a publisher of marketing-driven applications for mobile phones and other wireless devices for consumers. He says brands can use games to influence the way consumers perceive their products. For example, a football game is very different from a surfing game. The two games will not only attract different audiences with different lifestyles but they will leave players with a different impression of the game. In this way, brands can choose what types of games they want to be associated with and thereby have some control over how players perceive their brands. “If you create a high engagement environment like a game, you have the ability to control the positioning because you’re creating this experience,” says Holland.
Brands such as Fox, ESPN, and Suzuki are now taking advergaming one step further . They have launched football, snowboarding, skateboarding, and motocross games that can be played not only on computers but on mobile phones too and come with their brands attached. In the Fox Sports Football game, “Fox” appears on the scoreboard during the game. The ESPN logo appears on the screen before the player begins the snowboarding and skateboarding games.
The Suzuki Motocross Challenge game, which came out in November 2002, is a prime example of the potential within online advergaming. Before players start each new level in the game, they see an action-oriented product photo of a
Suzuki motocross bike. Additional branding comes in the form of a small plane that flies across the sky every 30 seconds pulling behind it an airplane banner with “Suzuki” and the logo. Another Suzuki banner flies at the top of the grandstand once players reach “Factory Rider” status. In addition, a link to www.suzuki.com/ is provided inside the game. In these ways, Suzuki is able to provide an entertaining game for the consumer while subtly promoting the brand. “It’s all very much in keeping with the spirit of the game,” says Holland.
In the game, players complete a series of obstacles on their Suzuki motocross bikes. As they attempt mid-air maneuvers, players earn points corresponding to the degree of difficulty. Once enough points are gained, they are promoted to different levels. Starting out as a “Privateer Rider” in the desert, a player continues to become a “Support Rider” in the mountains and finish as a “Factory Rider”, racing in a stadium.
The challenge for Suzuki was creating a game that was fun and exciting as well as capable of lifting the brand image”, says Holland of Thumbworks.
By advertising with an online game, Suzuki aims to reach consumers it had been unable to reach through the more traditional form of advertising in publications. “Advertising in the enthusiast publications is necessary to keep a presence in front of this group,” says Holland. “It really serves the purpose of exposing the brand name Suzuki and the sport of motocross to potential new riders -- and buyers of Suzuki products.”
The impact of online advergaming is effective as it reaches many. “What is indisputable is that tens of millions of people connect to Internet every day in the workplace,” confirms Rubin. “It is a captive audience, and an educated and affluent one. This is prime real estate for Advertisers, and favorable deals can now be made that lock-in rates for years to come.”
This is the first time Suzuki has used an online game for branding. In the first five weeks after Verizon Wireless started offering a free, downloadable demo of the game on its Web site, more than 100,000 people downloaded the game. These preliminary findings are promising for Suzuki as it is primarily interested in using the game as a means of branding. Harris says Suzuki is pleased with the results of advergaming and will be evaluating future opportunities.
Online Advergaming -- A Win-Win-Win Situation
Advergaming may offer traditional advertisers a unique and effective way to spread the word and recognition about their brands, but, in some cases, consumers might be motivated to play because they are familiar with the brand. Holland says that incorporating the Suzuki brand into the game adds authenticity and encourages consumers to play because it’s not a generic motocross game.
Verizon Wireless agrees with the idea that a branded game is more attractive than a generic game and likes to work with developers who are working with brands. “It’s my position that brands matter,” says Alex Bloom, manager of content and applications for Verizon Wireless. “Customers tend to lean towards the brands.” The company currently offers subscribers the chance to download the Fox Sports Football, ESPN X Games Snowboarding, and Suzuki Motocross Challenge from the Verizon Wireless Website.
If done correctly, Holland says a game can be a win-win-win all around. It is a win for customers because they have a better understanding of what they’re getting into because they know the brand name; it is a win for brands because they have another vehicle by which to promote their brands; and it is a win for carriers because the games, downloadable for a fee, generate revenue.
The growing popularity of gaming among consumers – and interest from brands - started with online gaming. Brands like Nike, Pepsi and General Mills incorporated their brands into online games to increase sales, improve brand recall, and generate positive brand impressions.
Daimler Chrysler became so enthusiastic about advergaming that the company’s vice president of Jeep and Business-to-Consumer/Customer Relationship Management, Jeff Bell, announced last year at the Electronic Entertainment Expo that Daimler Chrysler has begun funding the production of video games. The company has launched online games such as Jeep Rescue Patrol, Dodge Midnight Racers and Chrysler Get Up & Go.
The results of Daimler Chyrsler’s efforts have been encouraging. The Chrysler Get Up & Go game was launched on the Chrysler brand Website (www.chrysler.com) on August 13, 2002. During the first week after being launched, more than 40,000 people played the game. From August 13th to August 25th, 2002, there were a total of 39,305 visits to the site, 15,638 registrations and 68% of the visitors opted in for further communications.
Craig Holland is president of Thumbworks (www.thumbworks.com), a publisher of marketing-driven applications for mobile phones and other wireless devices for consumers. He says brands can use games to influence the way consumers perceive their products. For example, a football game is very different from a surfing game. The two games will not only attract different audiences with different lifestyles but they will leave players with a different impression of the game. In this way, brands can choose what types of games they want to be associated with and thereby have some control over how players perceive their brands. “If you create a high engagement environment like a game, you have the ability to control the positioning because you’re creating this experience,” says Holland.
Brands such as Fox, ESPN, and Suzuki are now taking advergaming one step further . They have launched football, snowboarding, skateboarding, and motocross games that can be played not only on computers but on mobile phones too and come with their brands attached. In the Fox Sports Football game, “Fox” appears on the scoreboard during the game. The ESPN logo appears on the screen before the player begins the snowboarding and skateboarding games.
The Suzuki Motocross Challenge game, which came out in November 2002, is a prime example of the potential within online advergaming. Before players start each new level in the game, they see an action-oriented product photo of a
Suzuki motocross bike. Additional branding comes in the form of a small plane that flies across the sky every 30 seconds pulling behind it an airplane banner with “Suzuki” and the logo. Another Suzuki banner flies at the top of the grandstand once players reach “Factory Rider” status. In addition, a link to www.suzuki.com/ is provided inside the game. In these ways, Suzuki is able to provide an entertaining game for the consumer while subtly promoting the brand. “It’s all very much in keeping with the spirit of the game,” says Holland.
In the game, players complete a series of obstacles on their Suzuki motocross bikes. As they attempt mid-air maneuvers, players earn points corresponding to the degree of difficulty. Once enough points are gained, they are promoted to different levels. Starting out as a “Privateer Rider” in the desert, a player continues to become a “Support Rider” in the mountains and finish as a “Factory Rider”, racing in a stadium.
The challenge for Suzuki was creating a game that was fun and exciting as well as capable of lifting the brand image”, says Holland of Thumbworks.
By advertising with an online game, Suzuki aims to reach consumers it had been unable to reach through the more traditional form of advertising in publications. “Advertising in the enthusiast publications is necessary to keep a presence in front of this group,” says Holland. “It really serves the purpose of exposing the brand name Suzuki and the sport of motocross to potential new riders -- and buyers of Suzuki products.”
The impact of online advergaming is effective as it reaches many. “What is indisputable is that tens of millions of people connect to Internet every day in the workplace,” confirms Rubin. “It is a captive audience, and an educated and affluent one. This is prime real estate for Advertisers, and favorable deals can now be made that lock-in rates for years to come.”
This is the first time Suzuki has used an online game for branding. In the first five weeks after Verizon Wireless started offering a free, downloadable demo of the game on its Web site, more than 100,000 people downloaded the game. These preliminary findings are promising for Suzuki as it is primarily interested in using the game as a means of branding. Harris says Suzuki is pleased with the results of advergaming and will be evaluating future opportunities.
Online Advergaming -- A Win-Win-Win Situation
Advergaming may offer traditional advertisers a unique and effective way to spread the word and recognition about their brands, but, in some cases, consumers might be motivated to play because they are familiar with the brand. Holland says that incorporating the Suzuki brand into the game adds authenticity and encourages consumers to play because it’s not a generic motocross game.
Verizon Wireless agrees with the idea that a branded game is more attractive than a generic game and likes to work with developers who are working with brands. “It’s my position that brands matter,” says Alex Bloom, manager of content and applications for Verizon Wireless. “Customers tend to lean towards the brands.” The company currently offers subscribers the chance to download the Fox Sports Football, ESPN X Games Snowboarding, and Suzuki Motocross Challenge from the Verizon Wireless Website.
If done correctly, Holland says a game can be a win-win-win all around. It is a win for customers because they have a better understanding of what they’re getting into because they know the brand name; it is a win for brands because they have another vehicle by which to promote their brands; and it is a win for carriers because the games, downloadable for a fee, generate revenue.
Comments:
Post a Comment
