Mobile Games & Gaming Blog

Products placed liberally in video games

As a member of the Elite Operations Division in the video game "True Crime: Streets of LA," the character Nick Kang must find his way to a truck heist at the flagship Puma sportswear store. Lucky for him, he has a Motorola handset with built-in global positioning system technology.

In the online game Everquest II, players don't need to leave their fantasy world to satisfy hunger pangs. They can click an icon and have food delivered from the nearest Pizza Hut - within 30 minutes. More ...

Advertising in games to reach $562 mln in 2009

Advertisers spent $34 mln in 2004 on in-game ads. But that amount is expected to explode to $562 mln by 2009, according to The Yankee Group. Including advergames (games built solely to promote a product) game advertising will approach $1 bln by the end of the decade. More ...

Blue Sphere Games Announces Licence Agreement with Coca-Cola

Blue Sphere Games Ltd., a leading developer of mobile games and content, together with Coca-Cola, the world's leading manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages, are pleased to announce an European Licence Agreement for the creation of Coca-Cola Branded mobile content.

The Agreement grants a two-year exclusive license of the mobile content creation and distribution rights, incorporating Coca-Cola brand properties within Europe, to Blue Sphere Games which allows this important brand to move into the mobile content space. More ...

Music quiz for mobile handset users under Coca Cola brand

Touchlink Mobile, the British mobile application developer and publisher, and Sandager Small Games, the Danish company specialized in Java applications, announce the release of the new music quiz for cell phones - Coca Cola Trivia Master. More ...

Vodafone to appear inside computer games

The computer games developer, THQ has signed a major agreement with Vodafone to include Vodafone live! in the video-game Juiced for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox videogame console from Microsoft and PC systems.

This is the first time that a mobile operator brand is fully integrated into a mass market game allowing players to both use mobile phones as part of the game action as well as download the game via their mobiles. Through this integration, thousands of gamers around the world will potentially see will the Vodafone live! logo within the game. More ... More ...(2)

Overloaded and Adidas partner to develop and publish video game around world’s first intelligent shoe, the adidas_1

- Advergame to promote the launch of new Adidas shoe – Focus on involvement and playtime – Based on mass market TV campaign – Direct delivery of video game to mobile phones worldwide.

Overloaded, a leading developer and publisher of video games for mobile phones and Adidas International have reached an agreement to develop and publish a mobile video game to support the launch of the world’s first intelligent shoe, the adidas_1. The shoe is to be launched, worldwide, at the beginning of April 2005. The video game will function as an in-store giveaway during the launch and will be distributed, worldwide, through WAP, WEB and Interactive Television (UK only) channels. The game is to be based on the, Spike Lee produced television commercial which will soon be aired, to coincide with the international product launch. Overloaded will imagine, develop and publish the game as well as facilitate the WAP and WEB direct distribution channels to end consumers. Download Adidas_1_challenge.pdf

Coca Cola, Paradox launch Thums Up Everest Challenge mobile game

Paradox Studios Limited announced the release of the mobile game ‘Thums Up Everest Challenge,’ in association with Coca-Cola India. The game, developed by Paradox Studios, is based on Thums Up’s unique action packed brand campaign, the ‘Thums Up Everest Challenge - ‘Hai Dum?,’ which provides Thums Up drinkers an opportunity to test their mettle on the slopes of Mount Everest.

Mobile games have now emerged as the latest tactic to be employed in promoting brand campaigns. ‘Thums Up Everest Challenge’ is the world's first ever mobile game to be used as a promotional tool. Made available to the 10 million subscriber base of the Reliance India Mobile network, the game sports a contest that promises the winner a Royal Enfield ThunderBird specially customised for Thums Up. More ...

Cell Phone Games Advertising Kit

MauiGames is offering a new and unique advertising opportunity on a series of cell phone games customized for maximum advertiser sell-through results.

Advertising in downloadable cell phone games is like running ads in magazines but with greater impact. Cell phone games are a new media with hundreds of thousands of downloads per month at a fraction of the cost of magazines. In addition this new media offers opportunities for local and/or customized ads and the ability to track actual sales impact. More ...

Campbell Soup Leverages Wireless

Looking to get the word out to young adults about its Soup at Hand product, Campbell Soup Company turned to Virtu Mobile for some help.

To promote the sippable soup, Virtu Mobile developed the Campbell's Soup at Hand 3D Snowboarding mobile game, which encourages gamers to capture Soup at Hand cans throughout the game to prolong their snowboarder's life. The game is designed to let young adults have fun while acquainting themselves with the brand. More ...

Reebok to Sponsor EA Sports Titles

NFL Street 2 sports all the latest licensed gear.

Reebok today announced it has entered into a multi-title agreement to sponsor sport games with EA. Wasting no time getting started, Reebok shoes and apparel will be featured prominently in NFL Street 2 due to release on the 26th. Along with current products, upcoming gear not yet available for sale will be in the game. This includes key pieces from the NFL licensed apparel line and the Pre-Season Bringback footwear collection. More ...

Marketing for the Third Screen

The Chrysler Group division of DaimlerChrysler is one of the pioneers in sponsoring games that can be played online and is "trying to be an innovator" in the realm of games on phones, said Jeffrey A. Bell, vice president for the Chrysler and Jeep brands in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Branded games are appealing to marketers because those playing the games are not passive consumers; they have actually chosen to participate. " 'Invitation marketing' is the term we're using," he said, adding that the consumer would be in control and that the marketer would be on the screen only when invited. "It's up to you," Mr. Bell said. More ...

Ashu Mathura on mobile advergaming; free games anyone?

Can we convince consumers to pay money for advertisement driven games?

The business of video games for mobile phones must be one of the most dynamic and fast paced industries in the world today. New phones are hitting the shelves faster and faster. Phones are becoming more and more powerful by the month. Innovative technologies like 3D and multiplayer games are pushed into the hands of end consumers. Mobile game development studios are working on steroids to develop better, bigger and more complex video games (and yes, we at Overloaded are very proud that our latest game “Xyanide” has received The Mobile Gaming Award: “This is one of the best games for mobile phones so far” by Midlet Review). But in the midst of this all a new trend is emerging; free mobile video games.

In today’s world end consumers are bombarded with hundreds of marketing messages each hour. Finding ways to connect to end consumers and create awareness is becoming increasingly critical and more difficult for high profile brands like Coca-Cola, Suzuki, BMW and Heineken. Traditional mass marketing (TV / radio / print) campaigns seem to have less effect every year and consumer preferences are even more difficult to predict and influence.

Clever brand marketers are finding in mobile games a new way to reach the young people who are ever more stubbornly ignoring their sales pitches. As more consumers have game capable mobile phones, the potential for advergaming and thus free sponsored games is huge.

For brand marketers there could be a number of good reasons to deploy a sponsored mobile game. First and most obvious is to create awareness for a brand. Second is to introduce a (new) product or service in a way that involves and entertains the consumer and interacts with the actual product. Third is to educate consumers in an entertaining way about the product features and way of usage. Any combination of these reasons is also possible.

Creating awareness for a brand sounds easier than it actually is. Consumers are not easily fooled and today it is simply not enough to recreate Frogger or Pac-Man and simply put your logo on top of it. Coca-Cola for example is by no means linked to Tetris or Arkanoid and consumers will simply have a negative experience if brands chose to do so. Creativity and understanding the brand values become very relevant skills for game development studios to understand and apply.

Currently many mobile games released are focused on console gamers or at least are inspired on console games. Think about the Ubisoft, Atari, Sega, Namco, Capcom and Microsoft games that are heavily pushed by operators worldwide. In contrast, brand marketers are focussing on the casual gamers instead. Casual gamers tend to like games that are quick to learn and have a relative short playtime per game, typical 5 – 8 minutes. Key success factors in casual games are that they have a clear purpose, entertain and involve the gamer with the brand or product. The result will be a game that will be played up to 20 times, each time creating awareness for the brand or product.

A good example of an advergame is from Dutch-based IceMobile who released the Holland Casino Roulette game. The game is free to download and teaches the player the ins and outs of how to play roulette. The game is based around two simple goals: (1) educate consumers on the game play and rules of roulette and (2) get them into the real casino as quickly as possible by having them experience the fun and thrills of the roulette game.

An example of a product introduction linked to a mobile advergame is from German-based Elkware who released the BMW Series 1 Challenge last May. The BMW Series 1 game is actually sold to mobile phone gamers at various operators and portals, which raises an interesting point: can we convince consumers to pay money for advertisement driven games and have them actually feel good about it? If it is your logo slammed on a simple non-related game, probably not. If it is product placement in a complete game from A to Z, probably yes. My best guess; advergames that are free to start, but require payment for additional levels, characters, uploadable high scores to win real prizes, etc.

An example of just sticking "your brand" on a game is the sports game “Dan Parks Decathlon” from Dutch-Based Overloaded. In this specific case various network operators, among others Proximus in Belgium and Eurotel in the Czech Republic put various “billboards” with their logo is this popular sports game during the World Olympics 2004. Downloads where charged as regular games but the game was promoted heavily during the event.

As always, the marketing driven United States is leading the advergame charts. California-based Thumbworks released early 2003 their Suzuki Motocross game on US networks. A simple goal: create brand awareness for Suzuki Motors with a fun and related game targeted at hard to reach 18 – 25 year olds. The free trial game was downloaded 350.000 times in a period of 4 months resulting in approximately 100.000 paid downloads of the game.

Finally advergames are pulled in on demand (downloaded) by the end consumer in contrast to mass marketing that is pushed to end consumers. The result is a true one-to-one interaction which is perfectly measurable and identifiable per country, per operator and per handset which makes it easy to calculate ROI.

Advergames doesn't have to cost a fortune, either. The demand for quality fun-to-play casual games is there, and so are the distribution platforms to deliver these games to consumers. All that remains is for game studios and marketers to intelligently work together to position brands where they're welcome, in front of the people who want to play.

By Ashu Mathura
Managing Director Overloaded | Fun Everywhere!

Too much fun to be an advert: a profile of advergaming firm Blockdot

In recent months, a number of reports have come out noting the massive turnaround in the fortunes of online advertising. And it’s not just paid search listings that are attracting advertisers - banner ads, streaming ads and other forms of online marketing are all seeing the return of companies after the drought that followed the dot-com bust.

One innovative form of online advertising that has perhaps not had quite the profile that others have had is a particular form of viral marketing called advergaming - a combination of advertising and gaming. One company, Blockdot, which has been called the “forefather” of advergaming, has been particularly successful in this realm. More ...

Toyota Bows Web/Mobile Gaming Campaign for Scion

Toyota Motor Sales' youth-oriented Scion brand has rolled out an interactive promotion that combines online gaming with a mobile element to raise awareness of the new tC sports coupe.

The effort takes the theme of long distance car travel, encouraging players to virtually visit other states and locales. Called "Scion Road Trip," the promo runs until August 15 and echoes a similar "ScionSpy" campaign the carmaker launched last year to promote the xA and xB vehicles. More ...

Sneaky Product Placement

HAVE YOU caught the hot new game capturing video consoles everywhere? It’s called Sneaky Product Placement, and not even a laser-blasting superhero will outwit this corporate invasion. With television audiences dwindling as video-game sales boom, games developers are cosily selling out to big-brand advertisers. Cash from in-game branding might help to finance tomorrow’s epics — but the rise in commercial clutter is starting to seem a raw deal for consumers. More ...