Study: 82 percent of consumers tolerate in-game ads

Earlier this year, Sony chairman and CEO Howard Stringer expressed reserve over in-game ads, saying "young people don't like advertising very much." Those sentiments were echoed by Bobby Kotick, CEO of the world's largest third-party publisher, Activision. However, that hasn't stopped either company from signing up for in-game advertisements to be delivered through their respective products.

Now, according to a new study conducted by industry trackers Nielsen Games, Stringer and Kotick's skepticism may be ill-founded. Titled "Consumers' Experience with In-Game Content & Brand Impact of In-Game Advertising Study," Nielsen's research found that 82 percent of consumers enjoyed a game with in-game ads as much as one without, with gamers' opinion of said advertised product increasing on average by 61 percent. The study was commissioned by in-game advertisement firm IGA Worldwide.

As part of its study, Nielsen employed IGA's proprietary tracking software to measure the reaction of more than 1,300 PC gamers to ads while in their homes. Though no specific names were mentioned, IGA said that both Electronic Arts and Activision contributed games to the research, with product placements coming from Taco Bell, Jeep, and Wrigley.

"This study offers proof that dynamic in-game advertising is an influential digital ad medium," commented Activision senior director of business development Dave Anderson. "Just as important to us is how users react to the ads. From the research it is clear that the overwhelming majority of consumers enjoyed the gaming experience just as much, if not more, with dynamic ads present. As game publishers, it is reassuring to know advertisers and consumers both stand to benefit from dynamic ads."

In June, IGA Worldwide signed on with Sony to provide dynamically served in-game ads for the PlayStation 3. The advertisement firm also said at that time that it had landed the exclusive rights to manage dynamic in-game ad services for Electronic Arts' PS3 lineup for the next two years. IGA and EA gained notoriety in July 2007 following gamers' unfavorable reaction to advertisements placed in Battlefield 2142 on the PC.