Adults & Social Gaming

Mike Doherty

Social Gaming: What is it?

Social gaming is a multiplayer, competitive, goal-oriented activity with defined rules of engagement and online connectivity among a community of players.

Most social games include a few key elements:

o Leader boards

o Achievement Badges

o Friend or buddy list

User Motives

“Adults”

Effe

ctiv

enes

sU

ser C

haracteristics

In-game Advertising

Adults & Social Gaming: Overview

EffectivenessIs advertising in social games effective?

“Adults”Defined as 18+

User MotivesWhy are users playing social games?

User CharacteristicsHow do these users act with the others and the market?

In-game AdvertisingWhat are the differences in types of in-game advertisements? What placement works for who?

RelaxationEscapism

Con

nect

ing

LearningSocial

interacti

on

New

Exp

erie

nces

Control

Teamwork

Autonom

y

Flow

User Motives: Overview

Users of social games are social and often look to meet new people, and form online relationships with other players

Users often turn to social gaming for a way to get away from the negative aspects of every day life

Users often game to get away from the real world, giving them an opportunity to “take control” of various situations in the game

Social gaming can be a large part of the recovery process for the user

Teamwork Is a large component for many online players for games such as Call of Duty. This allows users to work together and socialize in the comfort of their own homes

Flow

• Flow is the sense of immersion, or telepresence a user may experience while playing a game.

• This plays a large role in the way a user interacts within a game. This “flow”, or immersion of the user is highly desirable to marketers for insight on how to best reach users of social games.

Flow: Definition

• Users turn to online games to get away from negative exterior forces

• Social gaming has been found to be an important part of the recovery process for some

• Users may often feel empowered or in control when play games

• Teamwork and communication are of the upmost importance to users

• Users of social games are very social individuals and love meeting new people online

• Many users enjoy the various experiences they can have online, they may not get to have in real life

• Often feel a sense of autonomy

• Users feel more rested and capable after playing

• This is seen as a de-stresser for many users

• Seen as more fun and rewarding than playing a solo-player game

• Users may often form strong relationships with online “friends”

• Users can “harvest their crops” without ever leaving home

• Feel a sense of immersion

• Social games are often played at work to reduce user’s stress and anxiety

• By allowing users to have control, many users feel a sense of autonomy

• Users often feel the teamwork aspect is similar to that displayed in a game of football

• Social gamers often feel more comfortable expressing themselves online

• Users that enjoy this are very immersive and suseptable to online ads

User Motives: Defined

Escape Relax Control Teamwork Social New Ventures

Socially Active•  Users spend 13

hours per week on social networks

• Spend an average of 9.5 hours per week on social games

• Have 218 social connections

• 16.5 real-life friends who play the same social game as them

• Have made 20 new friends through social gaming

Sophisticated Gamers

• 50% of the current social gamer population owns at least one console

• 25% prefer games with missions or quests

• 22% say the fact that their online friends can see their score drives them to play more and harder

Highly Receptive to in-game ads

• 42% of social gamers say they would be more motivated to play a social game that offered real world rewards (eg: a coupon or gift card);

• 55% of players would rather earn virtual currency than purchase it with real money

• 24% of players report they have clicked on an ad in a social game and made an online purchase

Avid Consumers

• Often making purchases in the following:

• Entertainment

• CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods)

• and many other major categories

User Characteristics: Defined

In-Game Advertising: Overview

Differences in In-Game Advertising and

Traditional Media

Focal Visual Field Peripheral Placement

Violent Video Games and Brands

Experienced Vs. Inexperience

Players

Focal Vs. Peripheral Visual Field

The brand appears in the center of the action in the

game

The brand is placed outside the main field of visual focus – often used in racing games

Focal Visual Field

Peripheral Visual Field

Inexperienced

• Focal placement may be superior to peripheral placement regardless of the level of game involvement

• Peripheral placement may get lost in the clutter of the game as the user trys to navigate through the game

Experienced

• Experienced players should demonstrate greater memory performance for focal placement than for peripherally placed brands in a moderate-involvement game situation

• Experienced playes should have a firm grasp on the game and therefore may tune out peripheral placement ads

Experienced Vs. Inexperienced Players

Violent Video Games

Users are less likely to remember advertised brands when they are embedded in a violent game in comparison to a neutral game

Violent Video Games and Brands

Why?• More arousing than other media• Diverts attention away from ads• Induces strong cognitive and affective reactions from players• Amount of mental resources spent on processing violence hinders encoding process of ads• Violent video games have proven less effective in brand placement in the aspects of brand

recall and brand attitude

In-Game Advertising• Consists of script and

screen placements within social games

• Allows user to interact with product and brand in proactive manner

• May allow for collaboration between company and user

• Often creates stronger brand impression than traditional media

• Does not interrupt entertainment as a commercial would

Traditional Media

• Consists of television and movie commercials, as well as print ads and billboards

• Low-level of consumer involvement

• Often seen as annoying or invasive

• Often difficult to rise above the advertising “noise”

• Limited time allotted for consumer impressions

In-Game Advertising Vs. Traditional Media

Cons

• Ads may seem invasive to users

• The brand may seem unauthentic

• Users may feel persuaded or tricked if they find out they are playing an advergame, or are being advertised to

Brand Placement: Pros and Cons

•   Does not interrupt the consumer’s experience like traditional media

• Not always paid for by the brand

• Placements may not be perceived by consumers as commercial messages

• Creates realism

• Authenticity

• Creates a greater sense of telepresence

Pros

Cons

• Ads may seem invasive to users

• The brand may seem unauthentic

• Users may feel persuaded or tricked if they find out they are playing an advergame, or are being advertised to

• Ads may seem invasive to users

• The brand may seem unauthentic

• Users may feel persuaded or tricked if they find out they are playing an advergame, or are being advertised to

Cons

Involvement is Grounded in MotivationThere is a correlation between a user’s involvement in the game, and ad memorization. Thus, the more immersed a user is, the better brand placement will fare.

Brand recall, and recognition is affected by game’s level of violenceUsers spend their time processing the violent images in the game, which takes time away from encoding brands or ads. Violent games also negatively affect a user’s brand opinion.

Exposure Helps with RecallUsers often do not have great brand recall after their first time playing a game, thus repetition helps with this issue.

Proven EffectiveIn-game advertising has proven to be effective. Users not only remember a brand, but may also remember the specific product. (ie. Nissan Skyline) However, script, screen and visual point of advertising must stil be considered when deciding if brand placement is right for a certain business.

Effectiveness of In-Game Advertising

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