Did you know that in 2020, a phenomenal $165 billion was spent on games?
With an estimated 2.5 billion gamers in the world spending a combined average of 3 billion ours per week gaming, it is no wonder that the gaming industry has become the biggest entertainment industry in the world.
For players, games provide escapism, entertainment, and most importantly, fun.
But advertisers can also benefit from the gaming industry. In-game advertising gives advertisers the opportunity to reach their target audience in new, exciting ways.
Here’s how.
What is in-game advertising?
In-game advertising refers to any adverts that are placed inside a game.
Think of it like the first stages of the metaverse.
While players go through their game’s world, any adverts that they see for real-world brands, services or products are considered ‘in-game advertising’.
To understand how in-game advertising works, and how it can be useful for your brand, it is essential to first understand the different types of games.
Just as there are many types of advertising, there are also many kinds of games.
What are free to play games?
Typically, available for download as apps on your phone, free to play games do not cost any money to be downloaded.
In fact, consumers can enjoy the game’s basic features without paying anything towards the game.
These game companies earn money by charging consumers for additional perks within the game (different skins/outfits, increased health, access to other levels, etc.) and by allowing advertisers to place their ads on the game.
The major benefit of free to play games is that they tend to be enjoyed by specific demographics. This makes it relatively simple for advertisers to ensure that they have chosen the right game to advertise their product and reach as many members of their target audience as possible.
What advertising opportunities are there for brands in free to play games?
Traditional ads such as video or banners work well for free to play games.
They work sort of like TV ads do. In the break between two games, the user will witness your ad for a few seconds on their screen.
It is important to remember that for these ads to work well, they should be creative and provide some form of entertainment to keep users engaged.
What are premium games?
Typically, PC or console games, premium games are games that cost money to play.
While free to play games are created in order to be leveraged by advertisers, acquiring space for your ads on premium games can be more challenging. To do this, brands will typically need to deal with the companies directly.
But despite having a slightly higher bar for entry, premium games still give advertisers plenty of opportunity to convey their brand message, build brand awareness and reach new audiences.
What advertising opportunities are there for brands in premium games?
One of the best ways to seamlessly showcase your brand by using in-game advertising is to place your brands products into the game.
A great way to do this is by adding branded elements to the gaming experience.
For example, if players can choose their avatar’s outfit, then a clothing company looking to leverage in-game advertising could use branded clothing items in the game to advertise their products.
When it comes to in-game advertising, the possibilities are endless. Especially as technology becomes more advanced and games become more intricate.
Will you be hopping on this growing trend?
If you’re looking to take your in-game ads to the next level or are wondering how they can work for your brand, get in touch us at One Day Agency.
