Even in a crisis: You can always rely on the human play instinct

The Corona crisis was not the first time that the importance of digital entertainment in society became apparent. According to the German Games Industry Association, thirty-five percent of Germans said they regularly play computer and video games in 2019 (52 percent men / 48 percent women), and the trend is rising sharply. For 2020, the industry expects sales of more than 160 billion dollars. That is more than twice as much as is generated by the cinema industry (approx. 43 billion dollars) and the global music industry (approx. 19 billion dollars) combined.

Just as the popularity of games is continuously increasing, the acceptance of conventional advertising is decreasing. An effective way of avoiding this problem is to exploit the attention-grabbing potential of games. Branded games are therefore promising tools for marketing and communication.

The problem: attention

Around 5.3 trillion digital ads are played out worldwide every year. Added to this is the flood of information from news portals and social networks. No wonder that the majority of mobile Internet users filter out advertising with adblockers or plan to do so in the future. And even if ads are not switched off by browser tools, marketers can by no means be sure that users will actually notice them.

The widespread parallel use of multiple devices, such as smartphones and TVs, can distract users from the advertisements being played. In addition, there is an increasingly defensive attitude toward advertising in general. And so-called bots can artificially drive up click numbers, which is why performance data such as ad impressions or click-through rates should be taken with a grain of salt. So it's high time to look at new marketing tools, such as branded games.

Actively demanded advertising

Branded games combine intensive interaction and entertainment with an intelligently woven brand experience to create an effective form of communication. Entertainment and fun for the player are at the forefront and ensure maximum acceptance. Successful examples, such as 'Rally The World' developed for VW by international games experts Gamify Now!, achieve more than one million downloads in the first four weeks after their release. In other words, more than one million users have consciously and self-determinedly chosen to engage with the VW brand.

Playing also means experiencing. Unlike other forms of advertising and even lavish blockbuster movies, people do not consume in games, but act themselves. This action - the immersive experience - intensifies the intensity of interaction with the game and, of course, the brand experience.

No age limit

But are games suitable for all target groups? Or are games more suitable for children? In fact, the average age of active gamers in Germany is currently just under 36. So there is no question of "children's games. Basically, gaming is a fundamental human need that affects all age groups and people regardless of gender. In the field of digital games, too, appropriately designed game offerings today reach almost all age groups. The concept of branded games can therefore be applied to a wide range of consumer groups.

Making optimal use of psychological mechanisms

A branded game uses and reinforces the natural play instinct through entertaining game mechanics, clever reward systems and the fun experience. In this way, it creates a lasting commitment to the brand along the way. In doing so, branded games take advantage of two psychological effects. The first effect is classic conditioning: through the positive game experiences, the brand is charged with positive feelings; and even if the brand appears later in other contexts, these positive feelings are recalled.

The second effect is the so-called "Mere Exposure Effect": it describes the fact that people judge things more positively the more frequently they perceive them. Familiarity creates familiarity. Familiarity creates trust. Trust creates sympathy. Due to these psychological dispositions, branded games can develop a strong and long-term communication effect without having to use classic advertising messages.

It is important that companies that want to use branded games understand these effects. "For companies, it is often a bit difficult at first to do without concrete advertising statements or brand messages. And a casual approach to brand and CI is also rather unfamiliar at first," says Maxim Karl, General Manager of Gamify Now! "Yet it's precisely this 'casualness' that can be crucial to the success of a branded game. In most cases, there is no need for flat advertising elements in the game, because the game itself is the advertisement."

Clarity, open-mindedness and diligence

As is so often the case, quality also determines success with branded games. Companies dealing with this topic should therefore first be clear about their goals and their target groups. Is awareness to be increased? Is it about an image change? "Even more important than defining the communication goals is clearly delimiting the target group. After all, the preferences of the target group are decisive for the selection of the game genre," says Maxim Karl. A development partner who has expertise in current developments on the games market should therefore be involved early on in the conception phase. In this way, it is especially possible to avoid mis-spending and find realistic solutions that correspond to the planned budget.

The next step, the game concept, is to create space for entertainment and fun in line with the brand message. Even an ironic approach by the company to its own brand can be helpful. In some cases, this can sustainably increase the coolness factor and generate a lot of sympathy. What is important above all is what entertains the players. The design should therefore be primarily oriented toward user benefits.

If these factors are taken into account, a branded game can be an extremely powerful marketing tool for numerous industries and providers. Above all, it helps to raise brand loyalty to a new level of quality.