Games and online marketing
Marketers have long known the hidden business potential in the growing market for online games. Millions of people around the world are known to be playing different types of online games. The wide range of games available, from single-player trivia, puzzle, sports, and casino games to classic multiplayer games like backgammon and chess, to massive role-playing games and strategy games like World of Warcraft and Lineage, attracts to a wide variety of players.
Recent polls show that online gaming is not the exclusive territory of men aged 25-35. Over 50% of women of the same age play online games on a regular basis, plus a decent percentage of older (and of course, younger) men and women are also concerned in the world of internet gaming. For marketers, these numbers represent a unique opportunity to showcase all kinds of products to millions of potential customers.
Marketers use a variety of online marketing techniques to reach out to the massive crowd of online players, including traditional advertisements and more creative and advanced types of online marketing tools. From gum to cars to anti-depression medications, everyone seems to seek the attention of online gamers.
One of the most common ways to promote a brand is online games. For example, Chrysler Group, the owner of the Dodge brand, has a dedicated gaming website dedicated to racing games, in which the player can drive the latest company models and, if played well, the players are rewarded with a HEMI® Power Bonus. !
Online pool as a test case
Let’s say you want to play pool online. By clicking on “online pool” in one of the largest search engines on the Internet, you will find two major food manufacturers fighting for the opportunity to promote their brands on their virtual pool table.
Giant chewing gum company Wrigley’s is the sponsor of the popular gaming portal, known primarily for its online pool games. Once you have entered the Candystand virtual pool room, you will be asked to customize your playability from a selection of three designs, each representing a different brand of chewing gum, the logo of which spans the entire pool table. billiards. Will you consider chewing on an icebreaker later?
You will face the same dilemma if you choose to play at Nabisco World. However, if you opt for the most popular option today, Yahoo! Pool, you won’t be able to escape the ads either; Immediately after you have registered and before entering the desired game room, Yahoo! Messages from the sponsors of the games.
As you can see, today’s marketers have learned to take advantage of
(not necessarily in the negative sense) of the growing interest in online games. From industry moguls to small local businesses, most of them have concluded that online gaming marketing is far more affective and profitable than ad campaigns.
