As media fragments, options for marketers have increased. You may want to ponder one not always considered: Video games.
If it’s eyeballs you want, lots of people are spending lots of time involved in games. They are immersed and engaged, highly active rather than passively watching stale programming. They might notice your offering. In fact, they might even buy it, as part of their game, or win it in the reward structure, building brand loyalty at a time when generally that has been waning.
“The message to executives and leaders of any business is: To regain the loyalty of your customers, you have to meet them where they are. And where you will find them is playing video games,” media strategist Bastian Bergmann writes in Press Play: Why Every Company Needs a Gaming Strategy.
He notes that while daily TV consumption has been decreasing, digital media usage has been increasing, a key driver being video games. Over the past three years, the amount of time that households in the United States spend playing video games every week has increased by 30 per cent, to 16.5 hours from 12.7. An estimated 3.3 billion people play a game almost daily and that is expected to jump to 3.8 billion by 2030.
“These people – a large percentage of the global population – are regular consumers like you and me, not just those who fit into the stereotypic idea of gamers. And as customer expectations regarding immersive experiences that resonate become more prevalent, the boundaries between gaming and other industries blur, driven by the proliferation of games as technological platforms rather than isolated forms of media consumption,” he says.
Still unconvinced? He offers these examples:
- Mastercard issued League of Legends, themed credit cards that allowed players to redeem cashback offers inside the game and unlock special discounts.
- Louis Vuitton placed its iconic handbag in the same game in the form of a trophy case.
- Mountain Dew created a soda specifically aimed at gamers that was advertised in a Call of Duty game.
- Peloton created a bike-racing video game actual riders can use while they’re burning calories, as part of a corporate goal to become an immersive, connected video game platform
One more: In 22 seconds, Burberry sold out of a limited edition of 750 accessories at a price of $299.99 for a character they created in the video game Blankos Block Party, in which players buy and sell stuff for their customizable digital vinyl toys known as Blankos. “The price tag was high, compared with the average cost of in-game items, but that didn’t discourage players. The price signaled exclusivity, a premium experience and the opportunity to belong to a special club – not unlike the signals sent by real-world Burberry items,” he says.
Gimmicky? He argues that advertising in these games – if you just want that simple sort of placement – is more likely to be watched than ads in other media and consumers tend to show higher loyalty toward companies they experience in a games context. Brand recall is also higher. Consumers who play games are more likely to make repeat purchases.
He outlines four strategic options to consider:
- Integrating with existing video games: This allows you to test whether video games will work for your brand and also offers a convenient short-term way to continue the experience. You identify existing titles that reach your desired audience and then can show ads, place a product inside a game or even mix an actual service into the game.
- Creating new video games: A great advantage games offer is the ability to fully control and shape the entire experience. “While companies using social media channels are subject to the limitations of platforms such as Instagram or TikTok, creating a video game from scratch allows for the design of an experience that perfectly aligns with a company’s brand and goals,” he says. Obviously it’s harder, more costly and riskier but the potential upside is probably greater as well. The path makes sense if video games are to play a central role in your long-term marketing strategy.
- Leveraging Web 3 games: These use blockchain technology and decentralized systems to hand players true ownership of in-game assets through Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies. As with Burberry, if you have a product that can be a part of a game and people will pay this can be an attractive option, either dipping your toes in like the first strategy or building your own game as in the second. “To be clear, whether you are integrating with an existing title or building a new one, the experience you bring to your customers is still the main attraction – enhanced by technology that opens up new pathways,” he writes.
- Making the video game the product: In this strategy, games converge with products and services to the point where the video game itself ultimately becomes the product, as with Peloton biking games for people exercising. BCG consulting group developed a video game that allows users to develop their business strategies.
BCG moved into the video game arena when Martin Reeves, chair of the BCG Henderson Institute, the consultancy’s think tank, asked a question: What media viewership is increasing? The answer, video games. Maybe they are a fit for your company as well.
Cannonballs
- Recruiting specialist John Sullivan warns your job postings probably bore the top performers you want to attract. Pep them up with phrases such as “your dream job,” “best work of your life,” “you will see your impact,” “maximum freedom” and “game-changing technology.” Find other phrases by asking your exceptional recent hires to reveal the specific words or phrases in a job posting that would have instantly gotten their attention and made them want to investigate further.
- Toronto consultant Donald Cooper says creating a brand is like painting a picture that your target customers want to be in: “Understand who they are, what they want, what they value and what they fear … then paint a beautiful and compelling brand picture for them.”
- Entrepreneur Seth Godin argues everyone is always doing their best, given their situation, priorities and awareness of the circumstances. If you want to change how they respond, you need to change their circumstances and how they see their options.
Harvey Schachter is a Kingston-based writer specializing in management issues. He, along with Sheelagh Whittaker, former CEO of both EDS Canada and Cancom, are the authors of When Harvey Didn’t Meet Sheelagh: Emails on Leadership.