Name (required):

  E-mail address (optional):

Type your message here:
>I posted a comment in response to “Video-Game Ads >Delivered for President-Elect” on AdAge.com. The URL >is http://adage.com/digitalnext/post?article_id=132875 >The 1st paragraph is “It seems like every marketer -- >and future political strategist -- is asking "How do I >do what Obama did?" And as they dissect his >election-winning tactics, they'll discover a page out >of his playbook includes in-game advertising.” > >You can read the whole thread to get the full context. >I was limited to 500 words in AdAge.com. Since I don’t >have that restriction here, you’ll have the full >benefit of my insights. You’re so lucky! > >A product placement can be getting images of a product >placed in a show, movie, game, etc. so people will see >a product. A placement could be getting a person, >firm, product or service talked about is a show or >movie. > >You may never get yourself &/or your products/services >placed or advertised in a video game. The efficacy of >video game placement or advertising for small >businesses would probably be outweighed by the cost of >getting game developers to do it for you, unless they >did it for free. > >But you can extrapolate & think about the effects of >participating in a local promotion or game. Some >cruise lines & clubs have events like Murder Mystery >Days/Weekends. > >The event/promotion doesn’t have to be about anything >violent. Your business could be featured in a >story-game people play. I have many in diskettes >somewhere, which I haven’t fully developed. The basic >premise is having characters in the story-game >patronize your business & use what you sell in a way >that fits the plot. The main point is getting >consumers to be involved in the story-game, so they’ll >visit (& hopefully) buy from your business & use what >you sell. > >I haven’t fully developed my story-games because the >exposure for participating businesses probably >wouldn’t be focused well enough on specific market >niches. >If somebody figures out how to make story-games >effective for marketing, you may want to participate. > >A fuller description doesn’t fully fit the purpose of >this post, so I won’t continue it. >My other points relate to general marketing. > >Product & Person Placements Results In Games Are >Speculative >Maybe gamers intended to vote for Obama anyway, but >intention to vote—or buy—doesn't guarantee action. > >Getting people to part with their money is much >different than inspiring them to agree about the value >what you offer. > >In elections, people may vote for a politician, but in >their minds, they may be voting AGAINST an undesirable >politician. Did the effects of in-game messages >inspire gamers to vote for Obama, vote against >opponents, or both? > >It would seem the most powerful messages would inspire >voting for a politician & against opponents, but it >would divide the focus. Marketing power comes partly >from simplicity & focus. The meaning of messages >should be clear & hopefully unmistakable. > >Plus, if the ‘vote against’ message isn’t implemented >correctly, it could be linked to the wrong politician. >The ‘vote for’ message could also be linked to an >opponent. It’s why “Brand X” is used in some >comparison ads. > >McCain may’ve lost the election because his campaign >wasn’t focused & often tried to convince people to >vote against Obama instead of giving reasons to vote >for McCain. > >It’s somewhat like the lesson I learned as I learned >to play Chess. I learned if opponents catch my king, >I’d lose. So, I focused on protecting my king instead >of trying to win by catching my opponents’ kings. The >divided focus of protection & aggression is part of >the challenge. Since I didn’t force opponents to focus >on protection, they could devote their mental energy >to catch my king. > >As opponents captured my other pieces—which I didn’t >focus on protecting—I had fewer pieces to protect my >king. It’s a good analogy for business, because if you >focus only on conserving your money without much >effort to gain more money, you’ll lose. > >There will always be expenses, but don’t focus >exclusively on keeping cash from flowing out. If you >only focus on expenses, you won’t get much, if any, >cash flowing in. > >It’s natural to protect what we have instead of trying >to gain more. Imagine a stubborn dog staying in a >corner to hoard & guard a piece of bread he didn’t >eat. There could be better tasting, more nutritious >food in his bowl (in another room), but it wouldn’t >help him because he’s guarding his bread. > >What do competitors jealously guard to the exclusion >of other things? If those other things are valuable >for you, you can probably gain them. > >Maybe a competitor furiously holds onto a particular >product/service category &/or market niche. You may >profit by not competing head-to-head in that category >or market niche. > >Marketers’ Roads To Hell Are Paved With Buying >Intentions. >Some marketing researchers survey people who are >exposed to messages, then measure their intentions to >buy what was promoted. But intentions are almost >meaningless because many things can distract people. >They may forget to buy what they intended to buy. They >may notice something they want more than what they >intended to buy. When their money is spent on >something else, intentions are like any good, but >ignored intentions. > >Intentions are like Willie Nelson singing, “Always On >My Mind” >“Maybe I didn't hold you all those lonely, lonely >times & I guess I never told you I'm so happy that >you're mine. If I made you feel second best, I'm so >sorry, I was blind. You were always on my mind. Tell >me tell me that your sweet love hasn't died. Give me 1 >more chance to keep you satisfied.” > >If customers are on your mind &/or if you’re on their >minds, it won’t help you or them. Onc of your >recurring tasks is inspiring customers to gain more >benefits from what you offer. Don’t count on them to >give you 1 more chance to keep them satisfied. If what >you do or don’t do causes them to think you consider >them to be 2nd best or lower, you’ll lose them, even >you don’t feel that way. > >If competitors treat people like they’re 2nd best or >lower, you can inspire them to vote for you & against >competitors. But you’ll probably gain more by focusing >their attention on what they should do, instead of >what they shouldn't do. > >Measuring intentions is like measuring hits to gauge a >web site’s effectiveness. According to Jim & Audri >Lanford, “Hits are How Idiots Track Success.” Discover >what causes people in a market niche to take >action—purchase what you offer. (I mean action in >AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.) > >I haven’t played the game(s) described in the Ad Age >posts & I don’t have any demographic data of the game >players. I know some questions we should consider >after we know more of the context. > >What in those games may’ve inspired action? Can it be >replicated & used in marketing products/services? > >There's debate about how passive gamers are & if >playing video games is beneficial or harmful. If video >games were harmful, what effect would in-game >ads/placements have? If video games are addictive, I >doubt the addiction would be transferred to what’s >advertised/placed in games. If gamers are passive, it >seems the message would have to be very compelling to >get gamers to take a break & vote. > >However realistic games may be, marketers & >politicians need to put reality in a fictional >setting. According to psychological authorities, >subconscious minds don’t know the difference between >reality & things people vividly imagine. > >Simulating results of taking action compared to >inaction—voting/buying compared to results >non-voters/non-buyers should expect—could have a >powerful subconscious effect. Subconscious minds have >a strong effect over how comfortable or uncomfortable >people are with various issues, politicians or >products/services—mixed emotions. > >What if a gamer keeps losing a game? Would feelings >associated with losing be transferred & anchored on >the politician or products/services placed/advertised >in games? > >I heard Michael Jackson wouldn’t let his >pictorial/video images & Pepsi’s name or logo be shown >at the same time. But with Jackson’s image & Pepsi’s >name & logo being flashed/ alternated, Jackson—& all >things his fans equated with him—were mentally linked >with Pepsi. > >Getting involved in anything we don’t understand can >get us burned. > >Marketers should be careful how their names, logos, >products/services & images are placed in games. >Considering the various ways interactive games can be >played, would anybody—other than the game >developers—know how or when an ad or placement would >appear? > >Final approval of a placement should be given after >the game is ready for the market, not just in the >development phase. Developers may intend to place a >product/service or firm in a certain context, but >change it for “creative reasons”. > >Dennis S. Vogel >Getting the marketing results you need depends on many >factors. By using these URLs, you’ll have access to >free marketing advice & information. You'll find some >of the answers you need- >http://www.lakefield.net/~thrivingbusiness/ >http://www.voy.com/31049/

Notice: Copies of your message may remain on this and other systems on internet. Please be respectful.