Adverts in games (was RE: [MUD-Dev] Habbo Hotel...)

[Auli]

John Buehler wrote:

> Consider a less traditional form of advertising: work the product
> into your game, as is done in movies.  It's only a means of building
> up mindshare, and it will only work for certain games.  For example,
> if your character in Deus Ex carries food, he can carry a can of
> Coke, some Powerbars, etc.  The advertising is built into the
> experience of the game.  In a multiplayer game, this is even more
> valuable because players start to ask each other if they have any
> Cokes or Powerbars.  Mindshare is developed.  If you don't want your
> stealthy character popping the lid on a can of carbonated drink,
> consider that the bad guys could be drinking the things.  Cans of
> Coke sitting on desks.  You could even work the soda into the death
> animations of the bad guys.  The can drops from the bad guy's hand
> and rolls away - sometimes towards your character.

> The difficulty with this is trying to incorporate non-consumer
> goods.  How exactly does Century 21 work advertising into any game
> other than a game that somehow involves real estate?  And, of
> course, all these things only work for games that operate in a
> modern timeframe.

> I can't imagine a game that attempts to be immersive also throwing
> advertisements at the player.  Where the advertisements require a
> shift of mental context.

> In a game that is more casual, I can imagine working web links into
> the game.  Suppose you're using the fishing element of the game and
> decide to visit the 'skill description' window or whatever.  It
> gives information about what your character knows about fishing,
> flies, fish types, rods, etc.  Whatever details the game provides.
> Along with that screen might be an 'advertisement' that links to a
> web site providing some kind of a transition to a real fishing
> tackle site.  Preferably one that is informational and educational,
> with further commercial links.  The interest in fishing has been
> established, and greater interest could be encouraged, leading back
> to a real world application.

> In a game with a sophisticated economic skill system, tie to
> investing web sites.  In a game with archery, tie to bow
> manufacturers, etc.  This model only allows ties to sites that offer
> an analog of in-game entertainment.

Consider the James Bond movies as the best example of this.  I
remember reading that Coca-Cola paid a hefty sum to have a Sprite
billboard prominently placed in one scene.  Both BMW and Volvo
successfully introduced a new line of automobiles by having them
appear prominently in the movies before they were even on the showroom
floors.  Obvioulsy this doesn't work in many instances but I don't
think I would even blink at a Century 21 sign outside a for-sale house
in something like The Sims.

Dwayne A. Hall

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