In my teenage years, video games were a main source of entertainment. I remember having a great time with friends who lived as far away as Canada! One thing that I remember noticing, though, is in-game advertisements. In this example, Pepsi advertisements are prominent throughout the screen.

As someone who studies advertising, I find this to be an excellent opportunity for businesses, should the funds be available. These advertisement placements are similar to the product placements in movies and television shows, which have their own advantages, compared to a 30-second ad spot on television. An ad spot on television competes with every other commercial for the attention of consumers. A commercial must have certain qualities before a consumer will receive the message, assuming he/she is paying attention. Product placements already have the consumer’s attention; they just have to appeal to the consumer without him/her noticing that it’s an advertisement. That’s where in-game advertisements come in.

Advertisements are disguised as part of the game. For example, in the earlier example, Pepsi was disguised as part of the stadium. This removes the possibility of the message being blocked by the consumer. This isn’t the only advantage, though; there is also the association of the brand/product with positive emotions. Video games are associated with entertainment, happiness, socializing, etc. Therefore, all of these positive emotions will be transferred to the brand, since the consumer will be experiencing these positive emotions while being exposed to the advertisement.

Companies are evolving in their methods of advertising. As technology evolves, as does advertising.

Check out this interesting video from a few years ago: