It’s that time of year again. Carved pumpkins light the way as trick or treaters run down driveways past fake tombstones nestled in the ground. Fake blood splatter and cotton cobwebs strewn across porches dare bold children to ring the bell in search of a treat. Who will open the door? A vampire or Freddy Kruger ready to pounce and scare the daylights out of them? A princess ready to shower her guests with delicious sweets?
Whether you thrive on the thrill of fright or have a soft spot for a friendly ghost, one thing is for sure – Halloween is a holiday that delights the imagination. People become part of another world, another story. They escape the mundane, trading it in for a fantasy land, if only just for a few hours.
That’s exactly what happens when people play video games. Players become immersed in an adventure: slaying dragons, flinging birds at pigs, or running through a post-apocalyptic environment. The experience gamers feel while playing is similar to watching a great movie that captivates its audience. Advertisers have tapped into mesmerized audiences for decades, carefully placing brands and products in front of viewers. They capitalize on consumers’ associations (conscious or unconscious) between characters, themes, feelings and their featured brand.
Video games and the ghost story of violence
Ad tech has evolved rapidly over the last few years, paving the way for brands to walk down the video game-filled driveway and connect with whoever is in front of the screen.
However, brands seem to remain hesitant about in-game advertising, believing that violence in a game could tarnish the brand’s reputation. Yet, brands don’t exhibit the same high level of concern when placing products in violent movies. Horror flick Get Out was soaked with blood, violence, and Microsoft. Bottles of Jack Daniels are featured prominently in The Shining. BMW Mini Coopers are the vehicles of choice for criminals in The Italian Job. None of those brands shied away from being presented alongside gore, violence and crime.
The Addams Family comes to the Ghostopia experience on Roblox. Credit: SuperSocial
As psychologist Dr. Kowert points out, hundreds of scientific studies have assessed the relationship between playing violent video games and aggressive behaviors. Except for a few questionable studies, researchers all come to the same conclusion: no evidence suggests violent gameplay translates into real-world actions or behaviors. It’s time for advertisers to let go of the myth and embrace the power that in-game ads hold.
Gamers weigh in on video game violence
Some advertisers need to have their fears set aside and hear from the horse’s mouth, so here’s the truth, advertisers. We interviewed a random sampling of gamers and their viewpoints mostly aligned. Echoed by many was that violence in video games is just another plot device. If you’re playing a Souls-like game, FPS, etc., violence is just part of the world or game plot.
Some gamers viewed violence in games and movies similarly. A player known as SynRapture said: “There are obvious lines, and I don’t enjoy gratuitous violence for violence’s sake or unnecessary extreme gore, but playing Battlefield and watching a WW1 or WW2 movie is pretty much the same.”
Others found movie violence even harsher than what they see in games. A gamer known by the nickname RY4NDY said: “I have also never felt “affected” in any way by seeing or doing something violent in a game (except if said violence has …….