The lights are on
It seems in-game advertising is becoming increasingly prevalent these days with product placement for anything from men’s deodorant to soft drinks. Whether humorous or out of place, these advertisements provide an alternate revenue stream for developers to help offset increasing production costs. Looking at the way products are paired with games tells you a little bit about the demographic that game publishers and advertisers are seeking with each title. Check out some of the more notable advertising invasions in video games.
Madden NFL 11Notable Advertisement: Old SpiceNo, you can’t play as the Old Spice guy. Nor can you unlock a horse. Among the changes in the latest franchise entry with new QB rankings and kicking engine, there was an addition of the “Swagger” rating described as “a unique new rating sponsored by Old Spice to quantify a player’s personality…reflected through in-game celebrations.” The higher the rating, the higher likelihood a player would showboat after a touchdown. While Old Spice does have close ties to the NFL, fans cried foul over the addition.
Rabbids Go HomeNotable Advertisement: Capri SunNothing gets these wily rabbit-like creatures riled up like a Capri Sun juice pouch. Considering how hard these pouches are to pry open for humans, I can’t imagine the trouble these poor Rabbids must go through to get their fix.
Second Life Notable Advertisement: American ApparelThe ginormous social sim Second Life has been prime territory for advertisers to push their products. One notable entry is American Apparel. Even your virtual character can’t escape the hipster ads, cotton overload, and leotards of AA.
Shaun White SkateboardingNotable Advertisements: Stride Gum, Wendy’sThe discovery of major corporate logos in a game centered around a bunch of punk skateboarders rallying against a soul-sucking government is an odd find to say the least.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Notable Advertisement: Axe DeodorantMake a stealthy man a sexy man with a scent that makes women everywhere go wild. Sam Fisher may be able to keep himself safe from guards, but can he escape the hordes of women trying to get closer to this Axe man? All things considered, a person who spends his time completing covert operations in a skin-tight suit will probably need some antiperspirant.
Metal Gear Solid Series Notable Advertisements: Playboy, CalorieMate, Apple Products, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Doritos, Axe, etc.Is it just me, or does Snake suddenly look more attractive? Seems Axe is the brand of choice for the stealth man on the go. Konami has also given players a chance to jam out with an iPod, recover stamina with CalorieMate snacks, and discover stray bags of Doritos.
Burnout Paradise Notable Advertisement: Barack ObamaIt’s not every day you see promotions of a presidential candidate in a racing game. Even though Burnout Paradise promoted Obama’s campaign, it didn’t necessarily declare an official political stance for the parties involved in the creation of the game. According to an EA representative, “political advertising does not reflect the opinions or policies of EA or its developers."
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I remeber playing Pikmin and thinking. "what the hell?" It seemed disgracefull at the time. Now that I'm so used to Gamevertising it doesn't seem that bad...
i dont' mind it if they are done in a way that doesn't feel out of place. like burger king on the side of a road in a racing game.
Nothing would make those !'s go away like snake spraying a can of Tahitian booty juice in their eyes (Tahitian booty juice being my approximation of the scent of axe)
I like to think that Alan Wake had its video commercial where it was in the game as a joke about the illogical placement of ads in video games.
lol i dont care about ingame advertising..as long it doesnt get to out of hand
I dont mind them but sometimes the placement and games you find them in are odd. You should avoid them in action heavy games but i can totally understand when they're in racers or open world games.
WHO CARES
I never really pay much attention to it unless its totally in my face, like the Obama one. Can't stand it when its blatantly in my face.
hmmm, playboy....
Cool Spot on the SEGA Genesis FTW!
I don't care how much money Obama pays me: I'm never going to sell out to a Democrat ***.
I honestly never noticed that ad though...
i think most NFS games has them
I think it depends on how it's integrated. For example, it seems weird to advertise AXE in Splinter Cell, but at the same time, it's a light-up sign that seamlessly integrates into the environment compared to a jilting commercial for a phone company in the middle of a supernatural blackout.