The Observatory on changes taking place in markets and with consumers of AdKaora, the Mondadori Group digital agency specialising in user-centric mobile advertising and proximity marketing, published new research called  “In-gaming advertising: communicating is brand’s play”   that analyses the impact of the evolution of gaming on communication and online advertising.

Already extremely popular before the pandemic, over the past two years, video games have also proven to exert huge appeal to new audiences, including women, families and seniors, as well as the younger generations. A fact that has aroused immense curiosity in marketers regarding the new categories and their usage habits.

From the research conducted by AdKaora it emerges how – in a period of poor human interaction, where relationships have been mostly cultivated through technology – video games, digital activities at zero risk, have proved to be a valuable source for linking people, as well as a tool for escaping from reality and counteracting the boredom of spending entire days at home. A phenomenon which has consolidated into a real trend, and the numbers confirm that it is here to stay.

The objective of the study was to investigate the evolution of gaming and player profiles, to understand how brands can reach and interface with them in a more effective and significant way, not only thanks to market knowledge, but also to consumer habits and behaviour.

By using in-gaming advertising it is, in fact, possible to exploit the extremely high attention of users by inserting native advertisements within the game itself, to influence the graphics and/or audio of the gameplay without interrupting the user experience.

Here are the key findings that emerge from the study – here the full version is available for consultation:

•  Gamer. Who are you calling that?
  What happened to the player with glasses, Super Mario t-shirt and trainers on his feet? He no longer exists, or rather, the “archetypal” gamer profile no longer exists. Asking why people play and not what they are playing, is, therefore, the key to gaining a better understanding of this target and intercepting their needs, for developing direct and effective communication. Moreover, also in Italy, the gap between men and women has been progressively closed, as well as the difference between the age groups involved.
• Gaming is mostly mobile
  In addition to browsing, chatting and enjoying content, consumers are increasingly accustomed to playing on the go. Many games for mobile devices have low access levels: i.e., they are based on “familiar” genres such as puzzles, card games or betting, which can be played anywhere. According to a study conducted by IIDEA – Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association -, in Italy, gamers devote 8 hours a week to the game, 5 of which using a smartphone at various times of the day. A figure for which it is reasonable to predict that the number of players playing on mobile devices may increase even more during 2022.
• How to reach the gamers target?
  In-gaming advertising has – probably more than any other industry – a variety of emerging advertising formats that behave very differently from media in other channels. Thanks to immersive creativity inserted within the game dynamics in a native and realistic way, it is possible to create a positive association with the brand without interrupting the user experience, increasing awareness and enhancing brand recall.
• Communication opportunities
  A successful in-gaming advertising campaign enables a high brand recall rate: there are high chances for a gamer – mentally very receptive during the gaming experience – to recall the advertising messages that have been incorporated or, at least, the product in question. For brands, therefore, extremely interesting communication opportunities will open up, enabling them to take advantage of very precise profiling and thus build significant content experiences both inside and outside the game in a safe environment, considered by the user as R & R time during the day.