Violence Overshadows In-game Ads

[vehystrix]

I doubt it's to do with violence and more to do with concentration. The description of the non-violent alternative sounds less like a game, and more like Google street view. If they'd made the non-violent alternative a puzzler with a time limit, they might have had different results.

Or even better, a high speed racing game, where you're avoiding crashing into various stuff, maybe including billboards with said ads on them.

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

I doubt it's to do with violence and more to do with concentration. The description of the non-violent alternative sounds less like a game, and more like Google street view. If they'd made the non-violent alternative a puzzler with a time limit, they might have had different results.

Or even better, a high speed racing game, where you're avoiding crashing into various stuff, maybe including billboards with said ads on them.

That may invalidate the study though, as it doesn't use the same environment as the shooter, and racing itself may be considered an aggressive sport.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

I remember one. In Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, I overheard 2 guards talking about the new Prince of Persia game, and how great it was. In Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow, there were posters for other Ubisoft games in the subway level.

If it is done in a non intrusive way, yes, fine. If it breaks the immersion, no.

I always considered those just cheeky self-references. What was really stupid in Chaos Theory was the inclusion of Airwaves gum in every fucking scene.

Oh good grief, that gum was everywhere, it wouldn't have been so bad, but it was centre stage of every. single. cutscene. The camera would focus on it instead of the people talking *Sam, I need to tell you about this important plot point, while the player stares at a pack of gum on the table*
But I laughed at the Prince of Persia reference, everyone I know who played the game remembers it fondly, that's the answer to in-game marketing. A brief third-wall breaking cheeky reference at a lull point in the game.

 

[Robert Ewing]

I'm fine with this sort of advertising. At least it doesn't pause the game to show you a 30 second ad for a shitty American hatchback every 15 minutes. At that point, I would quite the game, and uninstall it, Defrag my computer, and make a list of all known people to be in the marketing and advertising industry and destroy them with a form of radiation that humanity has not yet discovered.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

What kind of sheep would buy a product because s/he saw it advertised in a game, anyway?

Someone thinks they're special. Don't worry, ads affect you just as much as anyone else.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

They honestly needed a study for that?

Hell, they could've paid me that money for me to tell them that when I'm playing a violent I'm too busy focusing on not being murdered.

At first I was a little annoyed that there were in game ads, but after a while I've just ignored them. The only time I'll ever be pissed at one is if it breaks immersion.

 

[Lucane]

Dead Nation has Banners and Signs advertising Super Stardust HD all over the place but I never really stopped to smell the roses while a hoard of zombies were still on screen but during the low points searching for stuff you notice the ads and I didn't hate them myself.

Infamous does it as well with Nods to Sly Cooper and Uncharted games here and there,but I'd be crazy to try to take in the scenery while I'm being attacked if I can't "Use" the scenery to actually beat the enemy with like Final Fantasy's "Titan".

 

[Beryl77]

So that study tells me that it's harder to remember ads when I'm concentrating on enemies and trying to stay alive? Shocking...

 

[Rad Party God]

I like ads when they make sense, for example in a sport game and even a sport-themed shooter, like Quake Live.

I don't mind them either in other games, but only if they make sense.

 

[Jak23]

So this study found out that people don't notice things they're not concentrating on...

 

[Mr Jack]

The fact that these were adverts is beside the point when considering how well the too sets remembered them. If you asked about mundane background details (number of windows, colour of walls etc.) you would find exactly the same spread of results.

 

[Dogstile]

OT: Ad's don't generally work on people that aren't interested in said products. I think its less a case of we don't notice, more of a case of we don't care.

Edit: To clarify my point, they should really work on where they advertise and not just on anything and everything. Want to market to gamers? Start marketing games and we might actually remember it.

Might, of course, most games I play i'm far to busy shooting things.

I mean, sprite on a machine? I'll notice it, I just won't care. Makes me no more likely to buy it. The very most it does it constantly shove its name in my face, which while effective at making me remember said brand, it's also going to piss me off to the point of I won't buy it.

What kind of sheep would buy a product because s/he saw it advertised in a game, anyway?

Someone thinks they're special. Don't worry, ads affect you just as much as anyone else.

Dude, no need to be condescending about it.

 

[The Wykydtron]

I like it when product placement/ads in other people's works actually have a sense of humour, sure you could just slap a few vending machines in the background but good ads can make an impression without making you want to break the disk in rage.

I'm reminded of Pizza Hut's hilarious product placement in Code Geass (Pizza Hut supports the rebellion!) I'd like to see someone pull something similar off in a game

 

[Ironic Pirate]

OT: Ad's don't generally work on people that aren't interested in said products. I think its less a case of we don't notice, more of a case of we don't care.

Edit: To clarify my point, they should really work on where they advertise and not just on anything and everything. Want to market to gamers? Start marketing games and we might actually remember it.

Might, of course, most games I play i'm far to busy shooting things.

I mean, sprite on a machine? I'll notice it, I just won't care. Makes me no more likely to buy it. The very most it does it constantly shove its name in my face, which while effective at making me remember said brand, it's also going to piss me off to the point of I won't buy it.

What kind of sheep would buy a product because s/he saw it advertised in a game, anyway?

Someone thinks they're special. Don't worry, ads affect you just as much as anyone else.

Dude, no need to be condescending about it.

It was a little rude, but people calling others "sheep" always annoys me, because it's so smug and self satisfied.

I didn't mean to sound condescending, rather "you're influenced just as much as everybody".

Most likely, no one will buy something based on a game. Either they won't notice it, or it'll be annoying or ineffective. That said, after MW2 came out, lots of gunstores got calls asking for ACR Bushmasters, an obscure assault rifle. I don't have any numbers, but it significantly boosted awareness, if not sales, and it wasn't even an ad.

 

[similar.squirrel]

What kind of sheep would buy a product because s/he saw it advertised in a game, anyway?

Someone thinks they're special. Don't worry, ads affect you just as much as anyone else.

That's the thing, do ads really affect people to such a large extent when the majority of people are probably aware of how slimy marketing really is?

 

[kouriichi]

Congratulations. You proved that when being shot at, a person doesn't focus on vending machines.

This is almost as useful as knowing "Plate mail is heavy".

 

[The Random One]

Wait, so the study pit a game in which you had to actually do something versus one in which you just had to walk around? If so, I don't think violence is the main factor causing the brands to be forgotten at all.

 

[joeman098]

I remember one. In Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, I overheard 2 guards talking about the new Prince of Persia game, and how great it was. In Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow, there were posters for other Ubisoft games in the subway level.

If it is done in a non intrusive way, yes, fine. If it breaks the immersion, no.

things like that if done well i almost find adds a great deal to the immersion factor because it adds in things that are real if im creeping down a hallway and i see a vending machine that says Bills soda or something it just gets written off but if i see a Coke vending machine it almost makes it feel more real.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

What kind of sheep would buy a product because s/he saw it advertised in a game, anyway?

Someone thinks they're special. Don't worry, ads affect you just as much as anyone else.

That's the thing, do ads really affect people to such a large extent when the majority of people are probably aware of how slimy marketing really is?

Yes. Ads affect people to a tremendous degree, and pretending they don't affect you is silly.