June 2009
As consumers spend more time playing in immersive gaming environments, marketers and game publishers have been struggling to compare campaign results because different measurement methodologies are used by different platforms.
To establish a common methodology for counting impressions and to simplify the process of buying and selling in-game advertising, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has announced the release of In-Game Advertising Measurement Guidelines, the first of their kind.
The public comment period for these guidelines was formally opened at the premier IAB Marketplace: Games event, taking place in San Francisco and focused on educating marketers and agencies about the increasing brand opportunities in PC and console-game advertising.
In order to encourage market growth, the IAB Games Committee worked with key industry stakeholders to develop a single methodology for in-game advertising measurement. The IAB’s proposed new guidelines cover dynamic, in-game advertisements that appear in PC or console-based games and:
“Because the in-game environment is unique in advertising with regard to its level of consumer engagement and the way advertising is experienced within those environments, it requires specific methodology for counting impressions,” said Jeremy Fain, VP of Industry Services of the IAB.
“When these guidelines are widely adopted by game publishers and ad servers, it will be easier for marketers and agencies to justify larger investments as consumers spend more time playing immersive games.”
“This is an important step in clarifying and simplifying the process of buying advertising within the in-game environment,” said David Sturman, IAB Games Committee Co-Chair and Principal Architect for Microsoft’s in-game ad company Massive.
“Clear standards and methodologies help to demystify a new and exciting form of advertising which will only bring more marketers into games.”
“The IAB’s work in providing measurement guidelines across the interactive advertising ecosystem has supplied critical tools to the industry, and these guidelines are another component of this important work,” said George Ivie, CEO and Executive Director of the Media Rating Council (MRC).
“In-game advertising is an emerging medium with lots of opportunity for growth. These guidelines help build the foundation for a strong future.”
Members of the industry—advertising agencies, advertisers, online publishers and technology vendors—are encouraged to read the proposed guidelines and submit comments on the IAB site at: www.iab.net/in-game
After the comment period closes on July 17, 2009, the feedback will be reviewed and the guidelines will be finalized and released.
The mission of this committee is to articulate the value of gaming as an advertising platform.
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