Advergames Build A Unique Brand Experience With Consumers

By: David Smith

In an age of Tivo, iPod, Podcasts, and Xboxes, today's consumers are
turning from traditional media to new forms of electronic
entertainment, making them increasingly more difficult to reach
through traditional advertising mediums. The challenge that marketers
face today is finding innovative - and entertaining -opportunities to
connect their brand with their targeted audiences.

A new media vehicle for brand marketing is through the use of
advergames. Advergames are custom-developed online video games created
specifically for a brand, where the plot and game-play revolve around
a featured product or offering. Through word of mouth, offline
marketing and online gaming channels, consumers are invited to play
these branded games for free. Advergames are typically posted to a
special area of an organization's Web site, and are distributed to
consumers through e-mail or accessed from popular online gaming
portals. Advergames are quickly becoming a natural catalyst for
generating viral advertising opportunities.

Studies show that consumers are willing to enjoy hours of free online
gaming entertainment for the small price of experiencing subtle
product placement and brand messaging in the context of the game. Many
leading brands - ranging from Axe, Coca Cola, Dodge, Ford and Nike -
have created their own branded video games, which allow consumers to
experience their products through branded entertainment.

The key factor in making a successful advergame is incorporating a
brand or product into the game to create a realistic and entertaining
situation around the game play. An example of this would be if an
automobile manufacturer featured the exact make and model of a SUV in
an off-roading game. As players advance in the game, they could update
to a higher model SUV and also select upgraded vehicle features.
Likewise, a brand-name athletic shoe company could feature a sneaker
in a basketball advergame. As players advanced in the game, they could
select different models of shoes that would affect their performance
and strength of their basketball abilities.

The success of an advergame is easily measured. Because prospect data
and contact information is gained from game registration, brands can
easily track who is visiting the site, the total accumulated hours of
game play, and the number of times a game was referred or e-mailed to
a friend - all valuable information to marketers.

Advergames present a tremendous viral branding opportunity for
companies to exponentially distribute branded content across a range
of audiences. With consumers increasingly turning from traditional
media to new forms of electronic entertainment, it's time for brand
marketers to "get their game on" if they want to keep their
competitive edge.