NONE: ONLINE-ADS>> What's wrong with compute games?
ONLINE-ADS>> What's wrong with compute games?
James Halprin (jamesh_at_beam.com.au)
Wed, 25 Feb 1998 17:15:34 +1100
As this is my first post to this discussion list (having only recently found
out about it at Web Ad 98), I thought I'd better briefly introduce myself.
My name is James Halprin and I am a Producer with Beam Software, Australia's
largest computer game development studio.
My particular interest in Web Advertising relates to the use of advertising
within computer games which I believe is for the most part, the richest and
most untapped media of all. The Web Advertising conference in NY was
extremely informative and covered many relevant areas although I felt that
the area of computer games was barely touched upon. By definition, computer
games are interactive experiences where as other media are not and this
point seems to be overlooked and / or underplayed by many. A person gets
heavily involved for extended periods of uninterrupted time while playing a
computer game - that sounds like a great advertising opportunity to me!
To the best of my knowledge there are two games companies that are currently
leading the way with online games - Mpath Interactive and Berkeley Systems.
Both use the same revenue model as free to air TV. That is, the advertisers
pay for the consumers enjoyment on the understanding that ads will be seen
at appropriate points throughout the experience. There are other game
companies on the Net that also use this model but none as large as these
two.
But what's the benefit to advertisers? Well, Paul Matteucci, the President
and CEO of Mpath described it really well in his article titled, Future
Branding which can be found at: http://www.mpath.com/news/branding.html.
Another way to look at this issue is to say, why do companies pay so much
money to place their products in movies? I know I felt good about BMWs and
Smirnoff after I saw the latest James Bond film (I could afford the
Smirnoff, the BMW will have to wait). Knowing that this is an effective way
to get a branding message across, wouldn't this also be true of computer
games?
The other point that I'd like to make is with the flexibility and creativity
that can be injected into the interactive creative used in the product. The
sky really is the limit when it comes to advertising in games, particularly
if it is planned from the start rather than retrofitted at the end.
So what do people think? How do media buyers (or anyone for that matter)
currently view advertising within computer games on the Net? In particular:
- Is this seen as a good buy or is a banner a safer (and cheaper)
alternative? If so, why?
- Is it the lack of stats in this area that scares people off, the lack of
proof that this is an extremely effective medium (Keith Pieper listed the
results of the Mpath and Berkeley System's studies in his recent response to
the subject, Why not rich media? which prompted me to make this post).
- Is it that people feel that the games do not have a large enough reach
compared with other media?
- Is it that people are just not aware that such avenues currently exist on
the Net?
What are people's thoughts? Thanks for listening.
- James.
---------------------------------------------------------
James Halprin Voice: 61-3-9866-8300 Ex:244
Producer Fax: 61-3-9866-8674
Beam International Limited Email: jamesh_at_beam.com.au
Level 11, 14 Queens Rd
Melbourne
Vic 3004, Australia http://www.beam.com.au
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