One of the “way more exciting” options he wants to explore is advertising on gaming consoles.
Investing in the core gamer is an interesting concept, but how often do we pay attention to advertising on our consoles? When we power on our systems, we already have our minds set on playing a game or watching a movie. Focusing on the core gamer is a gutsy strategy that may find much more success as time goes on.
An ever growing percentage of people are getting their television shows and entertainment outside of broadcast cable and network TV. Game developers and publishers have to become more in-tune to the most efficient way of getting information about their game out to those most likely to purchase. The “hardcore” gamers usually know everything about a game well before the release date. However, the case can be made that “hardcore” gamers are the minority. Also, commercials are most needed for new game franchises trying to get the attention of the consumer, such as is the case for THQ’s upcoming shooter, Homefront.
Bilson is marketing smarter with Homefront’s “Future History” trailer, which doesn’t use game assets so the development team need not spend time retrieving them for the trailer. If you don’t have the budget to buy the expensive TV ads, it would be in your company’s best interest to find other avenues and strategies. With digital video recorders and “on demand”, people can avoid commercials like never before, making them much less effective. Creating a more efficient communication path between the game ad and the target audience is the ultimate goal, especially for those who can not afford to waste any time or money.
Source: 1UP
