Advergames. These are advertiser-sponsored development projects that infuse stand-alone
games with branding messages. Many examples of such initiatives exist. However, few create
tie-ins to direct consumer action—a critical, and easy, element.
• Product placement. Like in films, there are many examples of product placement in console
and PC games: Electronic Arts's multimillion-dollar deals with Intel and McDonald's in The
Sims Online as well as Activision's deal with Nokia in Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer. Video game
technology has drastically improved the quality of simulation during the past decade. Game
characters no longer wear obscure and formless garments. They instead sport the latest
athletic shoes, carry the latest gadgets, and drive the latest cars.
• Real-world analogs. Just as banners offer analogous advertising vehicles in online content, 3-
D environments provide space for ads with real-world analogs. Such vehicles include in-game
billboards, sports banners on stadiums, and radio spots. These ads serve a dual role by both
enriching the virtual game world with reality and providing direct advertising opportunities.
• Cross-promotion. There are innumerable opportunities for cross-promotion in video games.
Media tie-ins as well as consumer product promotions with discounts, coupons, and rewards
offer the most obvious strategies. There are also creative applications such as Capcom's
promotion with the clothing company Diesel through its Devil May Cry franchise.
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