What is the one thing that could get brands to spend more money on gaming?
Many brands still hesitate to test the waters of gaming advertising.
This is often due to a lack of insecurity about the return on investment, especially for larger activations within game worlds.
The Media Leader surveyed gaming experts to find out what brands would do to increase their spending on gaming.
Phil Rowley is the head of Futures at Omnicom Media Group.
The first thing I’d like to stress to brands that are unfamiliar with gaming or who feel intimidated is to distinguish between gaming and metaverse.
“Gaming can be computerized competition of any kind, from Call of Duty to Scrabble. Globally, 3 billion gamers are considered to be the broadest definition. Virtual reality is a subset that includes immersive 3D virtual worlds. This is an enormous opportunity.
“Second,” says the report, “brands should see gaming as an array of opportunities with easy and affordable entry levels that utilize familiar metrics from traditional media. Sports are a good example: You can advertise on the team shirts or perimeter boards during a match. You can sponsor the broadcast or purchase a 30-second advertisement during the half-time.
The same advertising formats are available for all gaming budgets, such as banners, audio, outdoor, and video ads. There are also options for sponsorships and partnerships. They are just as simple as the ones found on non-gaming channels.
Nina Mackie is the co-founder of WeGame2 and its chief revenue officer.
“Boosting gaming ad spend involves several strategies. However, a major focus should be creating a unified buying process. Brands and agencies have noted that the fragmentation of the gaming industry is a major barrier. Dealing with multiple vendors, their products, and metrics can be time-consuming and inefficient.
“In response to this, the IAB revised their in-game intrinsic guidelines in August 2022. They standardized viewable impression metrics and expanded beyond 2D formats. The advertising landscape for gaming is still largely unorganized despite these efforts.
The introduction of platforms such as IION that offer a single solution to purchase ad spaces targeting gamers “in the game,” “away from the games,” and “around the games” signals a move towards simplification. This approach is similar to advertising on connected TV or social media and promises to streamline the reach of gaming audiences.
Michael Smith is vice president of sales for EMEA.
Data-backed education is one thing that can get brands to invest in gaming. Gaming is an attention-grabbing medium for brands. There are still many misconceptions regarding how easy it is for brands to enter the gaming world and what impact it will have on their campaign.
“For instance, Anzu has just published a study that dispels myths that in-game advertising is only effective for driving awareness at the top of the funnel. These ads are effective across the funnel and can boost purchase consideration (+5 points), outperforming online video, CTV, display, etc.
As more brands look at gaming, there will be more data and education. “I can’t emphasise enough how important it will be for us to work together as an entire industry to help grow and mature this space, which, in turn, will bring more standardisation and best practices to the space.”
Lucy Rissik is a video games and brand partnership consultant.
Many brands undervalue the industry and do not realize its size. It is often forgotten that approximately 50% of all gamers are female. More women aged over 18 than men play video games. Brands can benefit from an engaged audience by understanding the industry and its opportunities.
“On the other hand, game companies need to be more open-minded about the opportunities that are presented. Culturally relevant brands will enhance the gaming experience and show gamers that the game companies understand them. I’d also like to see more innovative ways of integrating brands into games, going beyond free skins or billboards.
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