What’s native advertising on video games like?
We show you how brands can literally be part of the game.
Although the term may not be as trendy as it was a few years ago, native advertising is still one of the best ways to reach consumers in a non-intrusive way and build genuine connections with them.
When well executed, the message cannot be distinguished from the rest of the media content. Not only does it not bother but it adds value to the user. The challenge is, then, to understand what the consumer is looking for (entertainment, information, insights, or whatever) and to make sure the brand is the one who provides it.
According to a study by Sharethrough and IPG Media , consumers look at native ads more than editorial content (26 vs. 24%) and for a similar amount of time. Above all, they capture more eyes: 25% more users pay attention to them than display ads, with a 53% higher frequency.
As for the results, they generally have to do with branding and engagement rather than conversion. The aim is to build a long-term relationship rather than achieving clicks, although it is also possible to build a performance campaign. The aforementioned study speaks of a growth in purchase intention 18% greater than with banners, and of 9% in brand affinity.
In the field of Gaming, developing branded content is a strategy that has been used for decades and is still valid. It is common for brands to appear as sponsors of a space, a section of the game, or even digital objects.
A first way to approach this strategy is with ads that are integrated into the game world in real time. It is a preferred resource for games that take place in a universe similar to ours: cities, soccer fields, race tracks. Canopies and fences are just as valuable there as they are in the real world, because they appear in gameplay without getting in the way or interrupting.
Even so, in some contexts they can generate friction, especially when it comes to paid games. In December, the inclusion of in-game notices in the bumpy launch of Battlefield 2042 caused controversy, for example.
Other options for brands, on the other hand, are challenges or sponsored events: a section of the game that is offered as extra content to players. Examples also include major in-game shows and other collaborations.
A Hub Entertainment Research study establishes that 46% of all gamers played video games with sponsored content, and 61% of them consider that they make the game more entertaining.
In Trivia Crack, for example, we offer the possibility of sponsoring a themed channel in the Triviatopics section. In the past, this action has yielded excellent engagement results and strengthened the client’s image as a buddy of consumers who offers them a new game.
As we said, it is about knowing what the user is looking for on a platform. In a video game, we know that they seek to be entertained, immerse themselves in a virtual world and interact with it. And that is what brands have to be able to offer them.
