Gaming advertisement

Return on Investment

Published on May 24, 2006 By Draginol In GalCiv Journals

Ever wonder how effective advertising is? I remember when I was a kid hearing how much was spent on TV ads and thinking "What a waste of money" for most of those ads. I think ads about "Branding" or on immediate needs (like food or toiletries) can be effective. But many other ads, I dunno.

Magazine ads are something I don't know about either. And yet here we are, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars per quarter. How effective are they? Does that $20,000 two-page spread in a game magazine generate 2X in sales of the game? At least with web ads, you know how many impressions and click-thrus you get. But on magazine ads, who knows. Is anyone seeing them? Might make for an interesting poll question.

And then there's the "well if they see them..." did it make them more inclined to buy the game?

I admit to having a bit of a personal reason for wanting to advertise so heavily in the magazines and on certain webzines. I don't believe in "karma" but I felt that for years, our company was too poor to support the magazines that had been kind and fair to use over the years. Computer Gaming World, for instance, covered The Political Machine with a Tom vs. Bruce article. CGW knew there would be no ads. They covered it because they thought it was of interest to their readers. People have to respect that kind of integrity. So as our company grew, I wanted to support those who had supported us. But that is a seperate issue from the straight mechanics of how effective are advertisements in generating sales.

What do you think?

Comments (Page 3)

The Limey

on May 25, 2006

It's been ages since I read about a game in a magazine. These days, the Internet review sites are where I go to keep track of what's out and what's about to be released. For that reason, the best advertising is to make a good game that gets reviewed positively (as this one has done) and then provide good support that earns good word of mouth (as this one has done). Getting previews out to the review sites is a good step too, assuming that the product is ready to be previewed.

My two cents.

Kosty

on May 25, 2006

In my opinion, the best place to advertise now is on prominent gaming websites. Run contests and promotions on your own sites. Get respected members of the gaming community excited about your product so they WANT to talk about it (Penny Arcade). Maybe get a cardboard stand-up placed in local EB and GameStop stores. Basically, place the advertisements in places gamers are known to go to now. Subscription numbers for magazines is an unknown, and likely sliding as the quality decreases. Stardock leverages the online model beautifully for distribution, it's only natural to leverage it for advertising the same

You really should be trying this in adddition to any print you do. That makes a lot of sense. Again the payoff can be huge.

samit-

on May 25, 2006

I don't read many/any magazines anymore, but some web ads have been good source of information a bit surprisingly. Ads that don't flash or make annoying sounds or try to sell me something via a DD breasted blonde or have other annoying infomercialisms (that was a fine word I admit) can be useful. I found a few new games from ign ads, some movies and other interesting things. Axe trying to convince me that I'll get laid if I use their product is not very appealing, but a new fantasy based roleplaying/strategy game? Hmm, let's check this out.

For me ads are all about information and not about feelings or promises or threats or other hoaxes. A good layout with good art work and the core information in a few words. It might tricker my lightning fast fore finger to see more.

Killzone

on May 25, 2006

Personally, I think saturation advertising for a very good game...and this is a very good game...is a bit pointless. It really depends on your market. These types of games appeal to a certain type of player...and they generally would read magazine articles, web reviews etc etc and be aware the product is coming.

Advertising for this game would only be productive if you were targeting gamers who dont normally play this genre of game

IMHO, huge advertsing in magazines is really overkill for players already into this genre of games...there arent alot being made. Web advertsing would be worthwhile however.

Voqar

on May 25, 2006

I tend to visit GameSpy, GameSpot, IGN, CivFanatics, GalCiv2, some forums, etc to get my gaming information.

I never did care for computer gaming magazines, even before the online sites really got going. Online resources are free (for the most part), more up-to-date, and you can get almost every file (demo/patch/trailer/movie) for free easily enough too. So paying $X for an out-of-date magazine with an overpriced and out-of-date demo DVD doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I suppose putting ads in print media can get you more exposure...but depending on cost I dunno if it'd be worth it.

GalCiv 2 got a nice amount of previews, updates, and then reviews from all the big online sites, and even without advertising that's very good exposure.

I would think that most people geeky enough to buy a gaming magazine are probably well versed in the internet and reachable via online advertising, word of mouth, game site previews, etc.

As a programmer, serious gamer, and internet junkie (ie, highly pc-oriented person), I can't imagine buying a gaming magazine unless I was going to be travelling and away from my computer or something like that. But I guess somebody buys those things.

GalacticNoob

on May 25, 2006

The only time I pick up a gaming magazine is if I happen to be travelling - I might get one at the magazine stand to read on the plane. Other than that ( and that is RARE), if its not on GameSpot, I don't know about it. I found GalCiv2 previews on GameSpot and waited .. and waited .. and when it came out I bought the only copy my local EB had.

All that to say: don't waste money on print advertising anymore.

cyberj914

on May 25, 2006

Can't honestly remember the last time an ad in a magazine made me run out and buy a game. However they have certainly made me search out more info on the web.

I'm usually of the mind set that if I can't see it in action then I pass. I've been burned far too many times by games that looked wonderful on paper and then turned out to be major piles of junk. ::cough:: MoO3 ::cough::

So I rarely buy a game unless:
a) I played the demo.

I played a previous version, liked it, and the new version is from same developer (as in GC1

).
c) A buddy of mine has the game already and I get the chance to play at his place.

I don't pick up a game because of or lend any value to what is printed in an ad since as others have mentioned an ad only points out the things the company wants you to know. And of course every game ad says their game is the best, most creative, and all that. So for me all I want in an ad is for it to tell me the name of the game and/or the company website so I can do a little digging of my own.

Takari

on May 26, 2006

I feel like most advertising is overdone... the only way I see any ad getting me to buy a game is if, say, GalCiv 3 was coming out next month and I didnt know about it until I saw the ad--basically a game I would already be interested in, but wasnt aware of. The time gap where I would want to keep up with sequels, but not read up enough online about them was maybe half a year.
I think what would be far more effective, especially in a magazine, would be if the magazine did an article about the game, rather than a paid advertisement.

The other problem with game ads are that they show me one thing: graphics. I'm not big on eye candy in games, personally, I just need it to be modern enough so it doesnt hurt my eyes (FF7 or like fallout 2 are borderline

). I guess some people who care more about pretty games and will buy a game based on looks (you wont find too many on these forums I'd wager) could start researching a game they saw in an ad... and later decide to buy it.

Alfb

on May 26, 2006

I was refering rather to "upgrades", such as pertaining to enhanced features.

I would say that what you call enhanced features, others call required fixes that might should have been there to begin with. While I am happy I purchased the game, I feel too many people attribute working long hours to accomplishing something. I by no means am saying Stardock has not accomplished anything, I just hesitate to say its done just becuase hard work was involoved.

On the issue of advertising, I never read magazines and suggest you utilize the web as much as possible. I got GC2 after reading several online reviews. I use the web and retailer shelves to determine the games I buy. It was also mentioned that "people have to respect that kind of integrity" talking about a magazine doing an article about a game that did not and would not advertise. I have a problem with this concept since if I did read a magazine, I would expect them to review what might be useful to me, the reader, not only those things that would bring in advertising. That smells too much of I will rate your product highly if you pay me for it regardless of whether I think its good.

smoochipoops

on May 26, 2006

I purchased and loved the original GalCiv, however if not for a full page ad in PC Gamer I would not have known about GalCiv2. So from my pespective, keep up the print ads!

DodgyDude

on May 27, 2006

Well I rarely take any notice of adverts and buy what I need and want solely by whether I like it (food), Whether it works (household goods)or via review (technology). Therefore I considered adverts quite unimportant. That was until I met my neighbours wife. She is obviously the advertisers dream. She is completely convinced by any advert. If the advert says so it must be true. "They are not allowed to lie". she takes their word as gospel. If it's in an advert it must be best.
Endless conversations about the facts:
It's the manufacturers opinion that it's best.
It's paid actors reading lines written by paid for advertisement agencies.
"Facts" based on very limited polls with loaded questions.
Just make no difference to her.

Walls say they make the best sausages so she wont even try any others.
I ask her "does she think that Harrods finest sausages are walls" I think not.
But thats the sort of mentallity she has.

I use this example as she is 50+ and computers are a mystery to her. but if she were to get one it would have to be a Dell.

If it's on television then it must be good and the claims made must be totally true.

Considering ppl like her exist then advertising must be more effective than I give it credit.

Creston999

on May 27, 2006

I do notice your ads in PC Gamer, they draw the eye and I think it stands out well. As for if it convinces someone to actually buy the game, I don't know. I'd bought your game on the first day, and had already planned to buy it before I ever saw the ad.

20 grand is a lot of money, do you have to pay that every single time the ad runs? You'd need to sell a lot of copies to get that money back...

Ofcourse, it also depends on how people still use game magazines. I typically only get PC Gamer for their scoop section, because it saves me the effort of having to go check on multiple sites to keep up on news. But I never rely on a game magazine to tell me if a game is good anymore, because by the time they finally get around to reviewing it, it's already 6 weeks old.

So I think people like me will have already formed an opinion on your game before ever seeing the ad?

Creston

Beta Tesla

on Jun 05, 2006

Me, I usually first hear about a game in one of PC Gamers reviews or previews. That's how I found out about there even being a sequel to GalCiv. As for the first GalCiv, I heard about THAT on the PCG Demo Disk. I have based many purchase desicion on the review in PCG PLUS the demo on the Disk.

P.S: When making a demo, Make it meaty enough to get a real good taste of the game, and not just a nibble. This goes for ANY game.

S1Genocide

on Jun 06, 2006

Im taking OXMS opinion on this. (Official Xbox Mag.) If Its a Coke can or a banner and makes the game play feel more real in game advertising is ok. (I dont mind throwing around a Heiniken Beer in Half-life2 for example using the Havok physics engine.) BUT if its somekind of popup or banner add or in any way distracts from the gameplay. Then I am against that form of in game advertising or advertising in games in any way shape or form. It all depends on how it is implemented and whether it distracts the player from the game.

Falken323

on Jun 18, 2006

I rarely buy a game due to the ads, but I did buy "the Political Machine" because I was amazed at the depth of the game in the Tom vs. Bruce article. What the ads can do for me though is create anticipation to read a review of the games as soon as possible.

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