In Game Advertising

Mobile technology has opened up a wide array of opportunities in the advertising industry.  One of the most notable sources of consumer reach has been in game advertising.  This form of advertising offers a mode that cannot be ignored by consumers and provides a supplementary reach in conjunction with other mediums and can flow along maintaining campaign continuity.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/sony-double-fusion-sign-in-game-ad-deal/

The following video will give a better understanding how Google has mastered In Game Advertising.

There are five different ways to utilize in game advertising. 

• Display ads- These are ads that pop up either at the beginning of a game or in transition points within the game.  These are a great way to reach consumers because in order to get rid of the ad the consumer has to physically click the ad away.  A negative to this is sometimes these ads are viewed the same as junk mail.
• Banner ads-   Banner ads are a good means of consumer reach because they are always running on one of the borders of the screen.  If they provide enough creativity and copy they can persuade a consumer to become curious about a product and draw them in.
• Video interstitials- These are videos placed usually at transitioning points of a game or placed in a game so that a consumer must watch the video to obtain a certain item to continue.  These are great for reach and with the right creativity can catch consumer attention.  Unfortunately, if the video is too long, they can have a negative consumer effect and be seen as clutter.
• In-game branded virtual items-  We see this type of advertising everyday in television, movies, and now video games. Virtual billboards or signage offers a pseudo-subliminal pathway to reach consumers and offers product or brand awareness.  In the photo above we see how the McDonald's Corporation has taken advantage of this medium.
• Brand partnerships/sponsorships- Brand partnerships are important for brand awareness.  Attaching a brand name to a popular item or game produces another pathway to increase frequency and reach.

The following is a video to show how subliminal advertising has an effect on our options to choose certain products.  Imagine how this same tactic is utilized in the medium we just discussed.