Dynamic Logic: Beyond the Click

Gaming Sites May Be a Good Platform for CPG Brands
to Persuade Women Ages 45+

Marketers are always looking for new ways to connect with consumers, and digital gaming can be an attractive advertising vehicle for brands because it allows for higher levels of consumer involvement and engagement. Digital games cover a relatively diverse range of gaming activities, and each type of game offers different advertising opportunities, making it critical that marketers understand the gaming landscape and their audiences to have the desired, positive impact.

Analysis from Dynamic Logic's MarketNorms^® database shows that advertising on Games & Contest (Gaming) Web sites¹ can be highly effective in increasing brand metrics for various brand sectors and demographics. In particular, CPG advertisements on Gaming sites tend to perform much better among women ages 45+ compared with younger females. And this is not a small audience — in fact, 8.3 million women ages 45+ say they access the Internet to play online games, according to Focalyst².

In the chart below, the impact (as measured by the difference between women exposed to the ads and those in the control group) of CPG ads across various female age groups shows increases in the persuasion metrics that are significantly higher among women ages 45+ compared to younger women. While there is almost no significant impact on Brand Favorability among females under age 45, CPG ads on Gaming sites yield a delta of +3.3 percentage points among females ages 45+.

* Statistically significant difference at 90% confidence level
Delta = Exposed % - Control %
Source: Dynamic Logic's MarketNorms campaigns from the last 3 years through Q3/2007
N=47 campaigns, n=23,205 respondents

For CPG brands, Brand Favorability is typically the most difficult metric to move through advertising, since consumers often wait until after they have tried the product to form an opinion since these are often lower-priced items. In this case, CPG advertising on Gaming sites is able to persuade women ages 45+ to form an opinion before trial/purchase and the results show these shifts in brand perceptions are positive, most notably among this demographic. If CPG advertisers are intent on moving bottom-funnel metrics among this demographic, they should strongly consider placing their ad campaigns on Gaming sites.

Marketers wishing to engage in the gaming space to reach their target audience need to develop an understanding of different types of games and the advertising options available to effectively use online Gaming sites to 'cut through the clutter' and achieve branding objectives.

Below are other things to consider when thinking about advertising on Gaming sites:

Certain types of games appeal to people differently, which may in turn influence how different age groups perceive advertising and brands associated on these sites. Often, ad-supported free games on Web sites are targeted towards a mass audience since these games are easy to learn and can be played in shorter sessions. Bear in mind your audience and the types of games that would most appeal to him or her, enabling positive "rub off" onto your brand.

Targeting — As with online display advertising, targeting may be used to reach relevant demographics and age groups on various Gaming sites or within specific games on the same site. By applying relevant targeting techniques, advertising campaigns could yield greater effectiveness among certain demographic audiences.

Mindset of Gamers — Brands on Gaming sites are engaging with people when they are in a different state of mind than when browsing on other types of sites. Understanding the mindset of your audience is important if you want to successfully communicate to him or her.

¹Games & Contest Web sites are defined in MarketNorms as those sites offering online and downloadable games, crossword puzzles, virtual casinos, sweepstakes and gaming tips and reviews

²Focalyst (www.focalyst.com) is a leading source of information and insights about Baby Boomers and Mature consumers. As a Millward Brown specialty practice supported by AARP Services Inc.,℠ Focalyst offers a broad range of qualitative and quantitative custom research solutions. Focalyst pioneered the largest, most comprehensive study ever conducted about Boomers and Matures and has the unique expertise to help marketers better understand and connect with this important demographic.