The Best Advertising in Video Games

In game advertising isn't a new idea, but it is one that is set to escalate in the years to come. In 2005, advertisers spent an estimated 34,029,520 pounds on in game advertising. By 2010 that number is estimated to be at 1,093,806,000 pounds. Advertisers are of the opinion that through in game advertising, they will be able to target the male gender between the ages of eighteen through thirty-four. This age group is thought to have almost totally abandoned television and radio (and the advertising they contain) in favor of computer based and video games.

Advertisers can further target their markets by the game types. For instance, you certainly aren't going to advertise bathroom cleaner to someone playing a seek and destroy game, but you might advertise the upcoming release of a 'Pirates of the Caribbean movie or maybe the next 'Aliens' movie on this type of video game.

While 'gamers' are unappreciative of this type of advertising, calling it 'spywear' and referring to the advertisers as greedy and invasive, it isn't likely to keep them from buying the games themselves. If the advertiser has done his or her homework, and they targeted their audiences correctly, they will still see sales directly related to this type of advertising.

Remember the Nielsen ratings for movies? Nielsen Media Research has not been resting on their laurels as the television viewing crowd has migrated over to video games. They have come out with GamePlay Metrics, a firm that uses and rates the video games on a multitude of levels. In order to get their ratings, you, of course, have to get through their commercials. Advertisers are lining up for the opportunity to advertise on this medium.

Unlike outdoor advertising, you reach your prospective clients where they live. You can still advertise in vivid colors, music, voiceovers, etc., but like television, you don't have to pay for the purchase, care and maintenance of the device delivering the message.

Gamers may continue to complain, but this trend will not end any time soon, it is geared to escalate as time moves on. With television viewing on the decline and radio listeners moving towards providers that broadcast commercial free, advertisers have to go where the clients are. If that means into their video games and computer games, they are fully capable and willing to go there. Especially when they can use the same theme for advertising as is displayed in the games themselves.