As we discussed in class, the most effective video game advertisements are not the billboard for Coke that wizzes by in a racing game and the McDonald's logo spray-painted on an alley wall in Resident Evil.
Rather, in the latest sports video games, programmers and advertisers have made the product part of the game's storyline, with the advertiser taking on more of a sponsor relationship with the primary activity.
Examples:
> Gamers unlock Adidas-specific elements as they progress in EA Sports' NBA Live 07
> In Atari's Test Drive Unlimited, gamers buy Ben Sherman clothing for their avatar*
> Burger King and EA Sports' collaborated in Fight Night Round 3, so that when gamers unlock a special fighter named Rey Mo, the King becomes part of his entourage
These are no different than sports sponsorships in the real world. Every NFL player must wear a Reebok jersey. When NASCAR drivers win a race, the first thing they do is chug a liter bottle of Pepsi. The Florida Gators, and most college football teams, will always have Gatorade tubs on their sideline.
Just as these sponsorships are an integrated part of real-life sports, so they are becoming with sports video games. In both cases, the advertising is much less intrusive and allows the consumer to create strong identities with products, without impairing his or her enjoyment of the game itself.
Here is a link to my source article from Wired News.
* Avatar is a Hindu concept that refers to the bodily manifestation of a higher being. In video gaming, it simply means the first-person character that the user creates.
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