Quick Jump Daily Digest

Thank you for your interest in the Quick Jump Daily Digest. Get notified of all new content on QJ in our free Daily Digest. To subscribe, enter your email address below and click the subscribe button.

Cancel and Return to page

Sony, Activision Blizzard doubtful of in-game advertising effectiveness

Posted Jan 30, 2008 at 6:37AM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: PS3, Wii, PSP, Xbox 360, MMORPG, Nintendo DS, PC Gaming Tags: Activision, Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, Financial Times, Howard Stringer, NBC

Howard Stringer, chief executive of Sony - Image 1

During the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, there were many hopeful techies and ad agencies looking into the new year as one where modern day advertising - in social networks, video games, and mobile phones - may soon become the mainstream marketing trend.

However, Sony's chief executive Howard Stringer had other opinions in mind. Despite the forum's positive take on in-game advertisement, he expressed his doubts on the marketing trend's effectiveness in the medium. Taken from an article in the Financial Times, Stringer was quoted to have said:

The [supposed] solution to everything at the moment in the digital space is ad supported. While advertisers are happy to talk that up, there is a limit to the amount of money available.

Similar sentiments were voiced out by NBC Universal chief executive Jeff Zucker in the field of mobile advertising. Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick also echoed Stringer's sentiments about advertising-funded video games.

However, new forms of advertising were being explored as well. Advertisers were hoping to engage consumers into more interactive models, who are slowly drifting away from the usual radio, print, and television ads.

Researchers proved that many consumers found that advertising in mobile, video games, and social networking to be rather "intrusive", although many were still willing to put up with it in exchange for free content. While this is especially true with the younger consumers, many business models are already adjusting to growing trend.

This story sucks? This story rocks!

Vote Now!

(0)

(0)

I disagree. I think if someone sees something they never saw before it would bring product awareness to the consumer. Granted, most games are too fast paced for the ADs to truly sink in but something new would catch your eye.

In addition, the ADs add a sense of realism to a game. As long as they don't over due it!

# I Hate Ad's — Mentality 2008-01-30 08:20

I don't like the statment that people like ads as long as it offers something for free in return, I call that Ad-ware and I have programs on my computer for getting rid of that. I hate being hounded with ad's on the net, for them to be in my game as well would be real annoying. And they will have the ad's in the game fine, but you can bet that the prices of the games won't go down in return, so who is benifiting from this? Not us, so it certainly is not in out favour.

# stupid ads... — platon 2008-01-30 08:44

@ISOhaven: this is true for sports games, or games that are RIGHT NOW, like GTA4 for exemple. But for GTA4, would you really like to have real ads instead of fake&funny ads? I don't think so. And for all other games, ads are useless, can you imagine final fantasy games with ads? :S

I hate ads!

ps: Ads are useless, if I always see ads in a game, I tend to get frustrated, it's like they think we are imbeciles... It's the same with movie ads, I mean, in "the island" you see them playing a kind of virtual game on "XBOX"... I mean, this is gay... (ps: seeing playstation or nintendo would have been gay as well, it's not to diss M$)

# ad — Cellsplitter 2008-01-30 09:14

So you play a racing game...

You see an ad for Nike...

Are you even going to think twice about it and go buy Nike shoes just because you saw that ad?

No.

# WTF!?!?!?!?! — ISOHaven 2008-01-30 09:46

"But for GTA4, would you really like to have real ads instead of fake+funny ads? I don't think so."

Yes I would. Hense the term REALISM.

# It works with.... — JR13 2008-01-30 11:25

certain advertising. I was playing RSV it reminded me to watch the sarah conner chronicles. It reminded me to go buy Assassins Creed and watch one missed call. It does add a bit of realism and replayability to games. I like coming to play games and seeing an ad for something that wasent there before.

# ... — DVSDevise 2008-01-30 11:54

I'd say that ads in sports game have are effective. Clothing, equipment, and manufactures can get good coverage without the player getting pissed off. Skate is a good example. It's pretty heavy on advertising, but everything advertised is directly related to the hobby/sport of skating. It's actually cool to be unlocking new brands of clothing and/or equipment to wear or use. As for billboards in open world games, I doubt they really have any effect. But if I owned a fairly large company I wouldn't mind having my own billboard located somewhere in Liberty City.

# Ads — Orlyeh 2008-01-30 12:48

While the average game player may not benefit from ads or adspace, it may make or break the ability of a development team to produce their work - as, after all, they need to sell an idea/concept to a publisher and be funded throughout production.

There's always a new product, and there's always money for advertising; the system has been built in such a way in which the feasibly stays and the dead, dragging, and money-bleeding goes (much unlike bureaucracy in our governments).

# Two Kinds of Ads — Arliman 2008-01-30 13:14

The way I see it, there are two kinds of advertising. Intrusive and non-intrusive. Intrusive would be a pop-up during the middle of a game telling you that you just won a free iPod. Non-intrusive would be your main character in a game purchasing a Pepsi, or wearing Nike shoes. Non-intrusive is good, just because I doubt that my main character wants to buy "SuperCola". Not too many people, however, give a damn if someone is claiming that they just "won".

# "Smoke" — KevOne 2008-01-30 13:17

Are you Smoking yet?

# >> — Mentality 2008-01-30 13:29

Yes

# LOL!!! — logicbomb.de 2008-01-30 13:43

The short version of this article (from QJ front page reads)

"However, Sony's chief executive HOWARD STERN expressed his doubts on the potential of that particular marketing trend."

hahaha

what is Bababooey the the vice president?1!!!

snarf

# Ads — CHUCKINGROCKSATSPACESHIPS 2008-01-30 15:38

Ads are ok if implemented right. For example billboards in racing games as long as their not annoying on the eyes. Burnout Paradise is a great example of done correctly in my opinion.

# Re: ISOHaven — mikekearn 2008-01-31 14:22

I don't play GTA games for the realism. I play them because they are a self parodying game. R* knows that people can get their killing elsewhere, but we keep coming back to the GTA worlds because of the zany, over-the-top antics available. I mean, why do you think they have all those hilarious radio shows that they do? To add to the realism? I don't think so. R* clearly makes an effort to poke fun at everything it is recreating in it's worlds, whatever time frame they exist in.

Refresh comments list

Add comment

JComments

HOT GAMING NEWS | LATEST GAMING SEARCHES | FORUMS

QUICK JUMP DAILY DIGEST

Welcome to QJ.Net!

If you want your comments to go live without waiting for moderation, you need to be logged in. Being logged in has its benefits:

Logged in members do not wait for their comments to be approved.
Logged in members can create Profiles to be seen by other users.

So why wait? Create an account or login now! It's easy, quick, and free.

To get started, use the LOGIN boxes, or the REGISTER link below!

Want to learn more about the team who brings you the QJ news?

Read about them now!

HOT FLASH GAMES

QJ.NET Categories
• Apple • E3 • Featured Articles • Gadgets • Games for Windows • iPad • iPhone • MMORPG • Mobile • News • Nintendo 3DS • Nintendo DS • Opinions & Analysis	• Photography • PlayStation 3 • PoV • PS Vita • PSP • Rumors • Science • Site News • Tabula Rasa • Wii • Wii U • World of Warcraft • Xbox 360

Sitemap

Newest Downloads

05/22/2012 - 05/29/2012

edicpopDS v0.3.01	05/29/2012
RGLoader 0v290 Beta	05/27/2012
WiiMod 3.2	05/27/2012
WiiMC v1.2.7	05/25/2012
True Blue Firmeware v2.7	05/24/2012
3DS Video Converter v2.3	05/24/2012
Mobile Assault 1.8.2	05/24/2012
PSP Tools Alpha 0.1	05/22/2012
Newton War	05/22/2012
DaedalusX64 r766	05/22/2012
PSPMarble	05/22/2012
The Undead 4 - Nazi Zombies	05/21/2012
3DSExplorer v1.2.1	05/21/2012
J-Runner v0.2 Beta 275	05/19/2012
Priiloader 0.8 Beta 3	05/19/2012

Most Comments this Month
Sound Off: On Game Expirat..	(58)
Say Goodbye to the Xbox 36..	(31)
EA Blames iOS Rock Band Ex..	(28)
Flash0 Contents Of Vita's..	(27)
Sony Had a Rough Year; Vit..	(26)
PlayStation 3: Now Featuri..	(23)
Sound Off: Toughest Game C..	(20)
Apparently You Can Pre-Ord..	(19)
Love It or Hate It, It's A..	(16)
Pre-Order Generic Shooter..	(15)
PoV: This Collectors Editi..	(15)
You've Been Up in Arms Abo..	(15)
Metal Gear Solid For Vita..	(14)
PoV: Paid MMOs are Dead	(14)
PoV: You Are Wrong about C..	(14)
Get Off Xbox Live, You Ped..	(14)
This is Next Gen?	(14)
Stop Your Whining, Start C..	(13)
Diablo III Getting Mauled..	(12)
Pokemon Liquid Crystal! K..	(12)
OK, So Maybe Microsoft Can..	(12)
Does Microsoft Ever Have a..	(12)
Operation Raccoon City Pro..	(12)
Update: EA Drops Free BF3..	(11)
Max Payne 3 Will Eat Your..	(11)

Top Jumps this Month
Naruto Shippuden: Ul..	(166)
neur0n Knocks Out An..	(100)
Pokemon Liquid Cryst..	(100)
Bust Out Your PSP Fo..	(90)
PSP homebrew - LameC..	(67)
Wii homebrew - WAD M..	(52)
PSP Comics Reader v2..	(50)
PSP Homebrew: 6.xx P..	(43)
Hellcat Working On R..	(41)
PSP Homebrew - PSPDi..	(41)
PSP homebrew - DSonP..	(38)
neur0n Gives You Mor..	(37)
Sound Off: On Game E..	(35)
PSP GBA v1.2: Gamebo..	(33)
Latest Left 4 Dead 2..	(31)
Another CFW Goodie F..	(30)
GTA IV patch 1.0.6.0..	(29)
Soywiz Releases PSP..	(29)
Download full Sid Me..	(28)
Sound Off: Should Ap..	(28)
Homebrew - PSP/PS3 P..	(24)
PSP homebrew - Mario..	(23)
DS homebrew game - S..	(21)
Brian Lara Internati..	(21)
Metal Gear Solid For..	(21)

HOT GAMING NEWS TOPICS

Quick Jump Daily Digest

Sony, Activision Blizzard doubtful of in-game advertising effectiveness

Related Stories:

Comments

Add comment

Newest Downloads