New research proves effectiveness of in-game advertising

A research study of the in-game advertising sector, conducted by CNET Networks UK for the IAB, has highlighted the effectiveness of in-game advertising, a rapidly-growing form of digital marketing.

In-game advertising has experienced incredible growth in the past few years and is a major item on the IAB’s agenda... In-game advertising offers marketers a compelling route to distinct target audiences with real time ad placement and consumer engagement. - Kieron Matthews, head of marketing, IAB

The research proves that gamers are receptive to brand messages and that adverts do not spoil or interrupt enjoyment of playing games provided they are placed sensitively within the game environment. Gamers see and accept advertising as realistic – a replication of the real world – which is a massive opportunity for both publishers and advertisers.

Following on from the IAB white paper on in-game advertising written earlier this year, we approached CNET to gain a more in-depth understanding of the attitudes of the gaming community to adverts within the in-game environment. 3,575 UK-based gamers were questioned on a variety of aspects relating to the commercial presence of brands within games and the results proved extremely interesting.

A few highlights of the results

• 52% of respondents have seen an in-game advert in the past 12 months
• A third (33%) said they would be ‘quite’ or ‘very likely’ to buy a product they had seen advertised while playing
• 40% of respondents said that adverts added realism to a game
• Of those respondents who said they had seen adverts in a game, two-thirds (64%) reported that they felt positively towards the brand
• 73% do not have a negative opinion of in-game ads provided that the placements are realistic, contextual to the game and non-interruptive to game-play
• The majority (86%) of respondents said they would welcome an increase in advertising if it meant a reduction in the purchase price of a game
• Only 14% of respondents said advertising spoils the gaming experience

...We got a clear message from gamers: if in-game advertising is realistic, contextual and non-intrusive, there is great potential for advertisers, especially given that gaming is increasing at the expense of other leisure activities - Jill Orr, managing director, CNET Networks UK

Interestingly some of the findings highlighted an uncertainty amongst gamers about what is advertising and what is placed simply to add realism to a synthetic world. For example, more than a quarter (27%) do not consider interacting with a brand while playing a game – for example, drinking a can of Red Bull to increase the energy of a character – as advertising. Furthermore, 17% do not perceive brand names that are shown in games as advertising.

General gamer findings
The study was conducted by GameSpot UK, CNET Networks UK’s market-leading site for UK gamers. The gamers in the study were 98% male, with 44% aged between 13 and 18, 32% aged 19 to 24, and 17% aged 25 to 34. The vast majority of respondents were multi-platform gamers using a PC in conjunction with one or more consoles.

Of time spent gaming:

• 52% spend 10 or more hours gaming each week
• More than one in four game for more than 15 hours per week
• While a third (32%) play for five to 10 hours a week
• Gamers are increasing the time they spend with consoles at the expense of other forms of media including TV, radio, print and even other digital activity.

• For a complete overview of the UK in-game advertising market, read the IAB report

• IAB members can access the full results of the study here