Raphael Pires
Jan 17, 22 | 9 min read
advergaming
Reading time: 7 minutes
Games are interactive by nature. They deliver a complex dynamic system based on a set of rules to players, who in turn act and make decisions based on the mechanics established in their design.
It's been like this since senet, created by the ancient Egyptians and considered the first game in history. Games are basically a multitude of calls to action at their best: fun, challenging, educational and systemic; and that's exactly where advergames come in.
Advergaming is the practice of using video turkey email address games to advertise a product or service. Ever since Johnson & Johnson was developing Tooth Protectors and Mattel released the Kool-Aid Man game in 1983 (both for the Atari 2600 console), advergaming was in great shape.
Advergames can be games made entirely to fit a product-related theme, or they can be something a little more subtle, like in-game billboards.
In this post we are going to talk about advergames so that you have another platform to think of campaigns for your organization's clients!
What are advergames?
Advergaming: How many types are there?
When and where to use advergames?
How to make good use of digital games in advertising?
What are the advantages of investing in advergames?
3 examples of advergames: I'm sure you've heard of them!
What are advergames?
Advergames are a successful combination of advertising and video games . The term was coined by Anthony Giallourakis in 2000 and first used in Wired magazine in 2001, in the “Jargon Watch” column. It refers to video games that advertise a product, organization or brand.
In this sense, advergaming is created around the brand or product, and can be accessed on the company's websites or social networks, or downloaded onto computers or smartphones.
The use of interactive gaming technologies is used to send persuasive messages to the consumer and simulate a consumer experience.
Sometimes companies may sponsor very popular games to have advertisements within them. This is known as in-game advertising.
So as you speed through a popular racing game, you might spot signs for soda or fast food brands (or even presidential candidates, as was the case with Barack Obama's campaign).
Although advergames have been around since the 1980s, you can only find this type of advertising everywhere recently, as advertisers have realized that these marketing tools are low-cost and can reach the consumer in a fun and engaging way.
Advergaming: How many types are there?
Although it may seem like everything is the same, you should know that there are three categories of advergaming to take into account.
First , games can be placed on the company's website (or on a special game-oriented website maintained or sponsored by the organization) to attract visitors and retain them on the website longer.
The longer a visitor is on the website, the longer the company's message will be in front of them. As a result, the likelihood of generating leads is much higher.
The second type is much closer to what we are used to understanding as video games. They are commercial games developed and sold (or distributed for free) to be played on computers or consoles, which carry the brand message at the heart of the game design.
A good example is the game America's Army, a war simulation that aimed to increase the number of recruits in the US Army. In addition to achieving this feat, it remains a game known for very realistic mechanics and physics.
The third group of advergames is what we call in-game advertising, where the product or advertisement is part of the game. This is the case of Rocket League, an online “football” game with cars, in which the sides of the stadiums are always covered with the most varied advertisements.
When and where to use advergames?
A common mistake is to think that advergaming will only attract the attention of young people between 18 and 25 years old. People often make a thoughtless connection between gaming and youth by considering only shooting and action games, but the spectrum is much broader.
One of the most famous video games in the world is the infamous Solitaire, aimed at older audiences. In addition, games with an arcade focus, such as those found on mobile, tend to attract different audiences, outside of the “nerd” and young stereotype.
The truth is that advergames work for any brand or campaign. The Arkadium and Blockdot studios, which specialise in advergames, have already created games for large companies in the fields of cinema and aviation, as well as interactive products for pharmaceutical and hygiene companies.
The key is to be smart about how you integrate your brand into your game, making the brand values experienced through its mechanics.
For example, if you are running a campaign for an ice cream brand, an ice scenario where the power-ups (collectible items that grant bonuses to the player) are the products promoted by the brand could make a lot of sense.
How to make good use of digital games in advertising?
Subtlety is the core concept of advergaming . The game doesn't need to flash the brand message fervently in the player's face.
In contrast, the flow of the game cannot be disrupted by ads and the brand cannot be a visual or audible obstacle.
Players experience games through sight, hearing and touch, and the more fun and seamless this experience is, the better the brand perception.
Here are some tips:
Finding a balance between gameplay and advertising . The game cannot simply be an advertisement, but must have a marketing component embedded in the gameplay;
Learn how to make your game go viral . Allow people to put it on third-party sites and give the user the tools to do so. If it's a computer or console game, make the game part of a larger campaign or distribute copies to specialized review sites;
put scoring systems in place and create a deeper experience . Competition between players for the best score can help your game take off;
Find ways to repurpose games . Once the campaign is over, don't throw away the game, as people might still want to play it or wait for updates. This way, the advergame can become lifelong marketing for the brand.
