Wow has advertising changed. Electronic Arts has confirmed that the Obama campaign bought a virtual billboard in the Xbox 360 game called Burnout Paradise. Brandweek reported that after seeing a virtual billboard ad in a video game, 11% of the gamers made an effort to engage with the brand advertised. A recent poll of Xbox 360 gamers showed Obama leading McCain by 12 percentage points.
"“Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates,”" an EA spokesperson said. “"Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams."
Political Ads in Video Games
Obama Billboard in 'Burnout Paradise'
Trend Themes
1. In-game Advertising - As seen in the Obama Billboard in 'Burnout Paradise,' advertising in video games presents an opportunity for businesses to capture the attention of engaged gamers.
2. Virtual Advertising - With the Obama campaign's purchase of a virtual billboard in 'Burnout Paradise,' virtual advertising presents a space for businesses to connect with their audiences in a new and immersive way.
3. Gamification Marketing - Using games like 'Burnout Paradise' to engage with consumers through political campaign billboards presents an opportunity to capitalize on gamification marketing and incentivize consumer engagement.
Industry Implications
1. Video Games - The integration of political ads in popular video games presents an untapped marketing opportunity for video game companies to generate additional revenue streams and entice political campaigns to consider in-game advertising as part of their strategy.
2. Advertising - The success of the Obama Billboard in 'Burnout Paradise' highlights a potential avenue for advertising agencies to explore as a new and innovative way to reach younger audiences.
3. Politics - As seen in the results of the poll of Xbox 360 gamers, political campaigns could benefit from engaging with younger voters through in-game advertising to change how they digitally advertise themselves to new audiences.