Video Game Advertising - Essay Example

Marketers are always looking for new innovative ways to send their messages out to s. The traditional media have attracted lots of marketing money in the past, but there are alternative media channels that are having a major impact on the life of customers. A new innovative way to send marketing messages is by reaching the customer indirectly while performing a different activity. A new alternative media channel marketers are targeting is video game advertising. Emarketer projects that US in-game advertising spending will increase from $295 million in 2007 to $650 million by 2012 (Emarketer).

Teenagers and young adults spend countless hours in front of their television playing video games. The graphics and capabilities of video game consoles such as X-Box 360 have come so far that it is enabling marketers to become creative in the ads they develop through video games. Video game developers are able to gain extra money by introducing ads into their games. This is a brand new advertising medium that has lots of potential for growth. The use of advertising in video games is done through subtle subliminal messages.

In a lot of games such as Grand Theft Auto, there are entire cities illustrated as part of the plot. Advertisers use these virtual cities as their breeding ground for ads. Companies such as Coca-Cola might place a vending machine in the video game; car manufacturers might use their brand name in the car models players use in games such as Grand Turismo. Due to the number of hours gamers spend playing, marketers want to capitalize on this alternative media to send their messages to potential customers.