Good Ads Make People Happier

It's no surprise. People like playing good games better. But now they've proved it, at least with advergames. If you make an advergame that respects both the product and the player, people respond positively. As reported in the Journal of Interactive Advertising:

The analysis reveals a stronger positive relationship between attitude toward the advergame and attitude toward the brand when participants play games with a high thematic connection to the brand's product. (Wise et al.)

So, like really, is anybody surprised?

Advergame Review: Chunga

Some Advergames are notable for their intrinsic use of the brand or product. But does that mean the consumer will have a better experience?

I tried out the popular Chunga. It's a nice take on the classic game of Jenga, using Kit Kat bars instead. It's nice that it respects the intrinsic bar-ness of Kit Kats, and the friction-feel of Jenga. However, some of the control is a bit rough, and although I liked the self-poking comedic aspect, it got old real fast.

Overall, I'd say it's worth a try for those interested in Advergames, because of its intrinsic-ness. Those looking for a good game, however, try elsewhere.

Advergame Review: Rooftop

The advergame Coke Zero Rooftop surprised me in several ways:

• there was a game to play while the game was loading,
• the game play was compelling and simple, though it took a few tries to master
  
• the best use of smoke and rain I have seen in a game
• incentives to try again (try "twelve")

Overall, I found the game pleasant to play, and respectful of the player and the product.
Good job!

Advergames

Advergames combine marketing with fun. The best advergames value the consumers, as well as the product being advertised.

"It's an amazing feat of game design, really, when you can make a commercially-supported game that respects its players - offering genuine invitations to play, and yet clearly inviting the player to think about the product or company sponsoring the whole experience." (Bernie DeKoven, First MajorFun Award for Best Advergame)

The appeal of advergames to advertisers is the extended attentive effort people willingly pay to the advertising. That is, they think about the advertised products more, and build a more positive association with the product.

There are also those ads called coupongames, which provide financial incentives to the players, typically in the form of discounts on products or services. For the consumer, it really pays to play. The downside of such incentives is that they are extrinsic rewards which can remove the consumer's attention from the game to the goal; from the product to a focus on the reward, and on winning.

A notable side effect is that such rewards actually make people stop playing. Once they have won, such as getting a $100 discount on new solar roofing, why would someone play again? The upside is that they have the coupon, which hooks them on the product, and makes them more likely to tell others about both the discount and the game.

For those interested, here are a few catalogs of advergames:

• Water Cooler Games
• Adverblog
• Mizbala
  

Found a good advergame or resource? Please let me know!