TMCnet News

Double Fusion Releases Landmark Research on Videogame Advertising Effectiveness; Multi-Title, Multi-Advertiser Study Establishes Key Factors That Influence and Attract Gamers
[July 23, 2007]

Double Fusion Releases Landmark Research on Videogame Advertising Effectiveness; Multi-Title, Multi-Advertiser Study Establishes Key Factors That Influence and Attract Gamers


SAN FRANCISCO --(Business Wire)-- Double Fusion has released a landmark study which offers the first wide-scale positive proof of the efficacy of video game advertising, outlines ad effectiveness measurements and takes a step toward developing an in-game ad rating system. The research, designed with and conducted by new media research firm Interpret LLC, combined both qualitative and quantitative methods and biometric testing to analyze advertising impact across 36 dynamic and integrated in-game and around-game ad placements across 10 top-selling games from a variety of genres.



The information and education gained from this research will help further establish gaming as the most accountable branding medium that reaches the most critical buying demographics, and takes a step towards defining ratings that will allow gaming and its benefits as a medium to be directly compared to other digital and electronic media. The Double Fusion/Interpret study demonstrates the leading video game advertising firm's commitment to investing in the development of the medium, and to ensuring that advertisers, their agencies and game companies are poised to take best advantage of it.

"Double Fusion's ad effectiveness research validates what many have assumed but never proven - that gamers not only notice ads in games but are impacted by them positively, increasing their intent to buy," Jonathan Epstein, president and CEO, Double Fusion, said. "While we've demonstrated many times the specific impact of individual ad campaigns, this is the first study which looks at the medium across a wide range of titles and ad formats. By understanding what drives advertising efficacy and engagement, and how to optimize it, we provide meaningful ammunition for advertising executives to justify their investment in the video games medium."


The research tested and determined the most significant factors which influence how gamers notice ads in games, including the type and depth of the ad placement, the type of the game, ad size, ad placement relative to the game camera, screen clutter, brand relevance to the audience, and other variables.

Key findings included the following learnings:

-- 75% of gamers engage with at least one ad per minute across most, but not all, game types; 81% of gamers engage at least every other minute

-- Less-cluttered ads are three times as effective at garnering gamer notice than ads that are either cluttered or within cluttered environments

-- While both contribute positively to ad engagement, placement of the ad in the primary camera plane (eye-level) is more important than large-size ads

-- Not all ads are created equal - dynamic billboards, around-game interstitials, sponsorships, and interactive product placements all offer different levels of user engagement and pervasiveness in the game

-- The data obtained from the study forms the basis for a new view on gaming measurement, which will allow gaming media plans to be constructed in a way that is both comparable and additive to other media plans

The information and education gained from this research will help inform the game development and publishing community in the steps they should take to ensure the most effective and noticeable advertising placements within their games, a step that ultimately will provide the greatest potential for revenues in those games. In tandem, the results from Double Fusion's research will provide guidelines for advertisers when developing their creative.

Another critical finding is the importance of relevance, which can include brand relevance and ad creative to the audience as well as creative relevance to the game, in the case of in-game elements.

"The program we conducted for Double Fusion measures actual viewing and gives precise information on how to plan for ad units, how to design ads, and what to expect in terms of gamer engagement," commented Michael Dowling, CEO, Interpret. "This research is leading to an industry-standard ad rating, which will allow buyers to guarantee deliveries and in turn ease hesitation advertisers have with all new media. As a result, this should help catapult in-game advertising into a more prioritized and accountable ad medium for marketers."

The study is being made available upon request to qualified marketers, advertising agencies, and members of the game industry. To request a presentation of the research, please inquire by e-mail to [email protected].

About Study Methodology

The study was conducted in a two-step approach: in-depth discussion groups with mainstream and hard core gamers in three markets worldwide (Los Angeles, New York and London) to gauge gamer reactions to various ad types across multiple genres; advanced eye tracking, in partnership with Eye Tracking, Inc. (founded by Dr. Sandra Marshall and several colleagues from the Cognitive Ergonomics Research Facility at San Diego State University), to evaluate how factors such as ad location, dimension, design and gaming context impact viewing attention. Thirty-six unique ads, representing various ad types (Signage, Sponsorship, Around-game Interstitials, Interactive Elements) were tested across multiple games, representing First Person Shooter, Sports, Racing and Action genres. Research respondents were randomly assigned to one of six different game play groups and asked to play a particular game, during which they were eye tracked.

About Eye Tracking, Inc.

Eye Tracking, Inc. was founded by Dr. Sandra Marshall and several colleagues from the Cognitive Ergonomics Research Facility at San Diego State University. The firm emerged from two decades of federally funded research in cognition and assessment, and has developed and rigorously tested its methods for determining cognitive engagement and cognitive workload to meet the needs of the US Department of Defense.

About Interpret, LLC

Interpret, LLC is the first global research consulting firm focused on evaluating and measuring the intersections of media content, technology, advertising and consumer behavior. The firm's mission is to bridge the knowledge gap between key media stakeholders - content providers, technology companies, advertisers and agencies - by listening to the evolving voice of the consumer, who is both the source of the digital content revolution and the ultimate arbiter of its future. Both its custom market research services and measurement and planning tools focus on deep consumer understanding of TV, movies, DVD, games, downloads, mobile content, and online content within a larger, cross-media context. Interpret's management team has unique experience pioneering new custom research methodologies and high-level analytics in both traditional and new media, including home entertainment (DVD/Hi-Def), theatrical pictures, videogames, mobile content, technology and television. For more information visit www.interpretllc.com or contact [email protected].

About Double Fusion

Double Fusion is the game advertising expert. The company brings together the leading in-game ad serving technology, the broadest network of games across a wide variety of genres, and a sales force that has helped create and evolve the in-game advertising industry. Double Fusion provides marketers and their advertising agencies with the broadest range of in-game, around-game and web-based solutions with which to engage and sell the valuable and hard-to-reach gamer demographics. Double Fusion is privately held and headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Jerusalem, London, and Tokyo. More information on Double Fusion is available at www.doublefusion.com.

Advertisers interested in opportunities within the Double Fusion network and developers and publishers interested in increasing their per-title revenues through integrated and dynamic ad placement opportunities should visit www.doublefusion.com.

Double Fusion is a registered mark of Double Fusion, Inc.

All trademarks, copyrights, registered marks, brand names, registered brand names, product names, and logos found in this press release are the property of their respective owners, may be registered in certain jurisdictions, and are mentioned in this release for identification purposes only.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]