Advertising First: Toyota Yaris Ads Appear in MMORPG Online Game

[Ming]

Toyota Ads Appearing in Anarchy Online
07/21/06
www.dailygame.net



Remember when ad sellers like Massive promised ads that "...wouldn't remove the immersive feel of a game..." ? Apparently, the dollar has trumped those concerns, as Massive is placing ads for Toyota's Yaris in Anarchy Online, Funcom's Sci-fi MMO that takes place on another planet. Apparently, the Yaris is a dimension crossing vehicle or some such. And so begins the trend of completely irrelelevant ads within games, and the beginning of what is sure to be a final exodus of many players from Anarchy Online.

Source: http://www.dailygame.net/news/archives/005812.php

Advertising Assaults Anarchy Online Players
Posted Jul 20, 2006 by KJM
http://mmorpg.qj.net

It started with shop signs, hung out by tradesmen in ancient times. From there, it went to print ads, then billboards that multiplied like locusts, blighting the land. From there, it went to radio, aircraft, TV, blimps, movie theatres, the Web...is there no escaping the relentless, unending hucksterism?

Toyota has become the first company to utilize interactive ads in an MMORPG with its interactive "dynamic billboard advertisement" in Anarchy Online. New technology allows players to interact with these "dynamic billboards" in the game, which proponents claim makes for a "more memorable and interactive advertisement experience." Toyota's campaign allows players of the free version to walk up to in-game billboards and interact with them to unveil the product. AO publisher Funcom expects this will pave the way for more of the same.

Mitch Davis of Massive, Inc. is delighted, calling it"A tremendous step forward in terms of giving advertisers what they want- the ability to target the elusive male 18-34 range and allowing them to interact with the products for a more memorable experience.” He goes on to say “This is just the beginning of interactive ads in games, and we are very pleased to unveil this new technology together with Funcom and Toyota." Davis was quick to mention that "...we are not adding this to distract from the game experience itself. Our company always has the best interest of the gamers and the game experience in mind."

Massive Inc., which was recently acquired by Microsoft, is a pioneer when it comes to in-game ad technology, and is currently advertising network in the gaming industry.

"In Funcom we are always trying to push the envelope in innovation and technology, and this recent move with Funcom, Massive and Toyota is a perfect example,” says Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom. “Our primary goal is always to deliver the best possible entertainment, but to offset the high development costs in today’s gaming landscape we need to look at additional forms of income.

Source: http://mmorpg.qj.net/Advertising-Ass...g/49/aid/59353

[Jhoff]

As someone who plays these games I know that I'd personally find this to be very annoying. These games are a form of escapism, anything that distracts the player from the game world (i.e. a car advertisment) is usually looked down upon by players; mainly because it detracts from the fun of the game.

[mjd1001]

This trend is getting worse and worse.

Now when you go to them movies, you see ads before the movie starts. Not just the still ads on the screen, but actually moving advertisements.

I have heard that in the next couple of years, those ads will be on DVD's as well, possibly even where you won't be able to fast forward though them (like sometimes you can't forward through the FBI warning on a DVD before amovie starts.

Now, some airlines just announced they are going to let ads be printed on the vomit bags on plans.

Something we are just going to have to get used to.

[Ming]

I have heard that in the next couple of years, those ads will be on DVD's as well, possibly even where you won't be able to fast forward though them (like sometimes you can't forward through the FBI warning on a DVD before amovie starts.

They already do that for previews on rental DVDs and a bargain bin priced version of a movie I bought a while back. HIGHLY annoying.

I prefer product placement. Although a recent episode of MadTV had to mention "Lets drive there in our Toyota Yaris" about 3 times, and that was really annoying. Show, don't tell.

[Butz]

I wonder if this would backfire on either Toyota or the game developer!

[Relik86]

Originally Posted by mjd1001

Now, some airlines just announced they are going to let ads be printed on the vomit bags on plans.

In some ways, I wouldn't want the Toyota bag, because it's vomit inducing, but at the same time, vomitting on a Toyota ad...

[01cavalier]

I'm not a gamer, but anything like that would be quite irritating. Advertising gets annoying and it is put in our faces way too much.

[logansowner]

This is something I don't quite get. First of all, I am not a "gamer" I occasionally play some racing games, but that's it. Of course it's mostly NASCAR games, so the advertising is certainly built in...everywhere. But if ads started to just pop up, I'd certainly never go buy the product.

Are there really people out there that see an ad and then go buy it? "Hey a picture of a car in my game, I better go to the dealership" Does that actually happen? Or am I just cynical? I see about 12 million Red bull ads per day, I've yet to buy a can... which by the way costs over twice as much as a can of beer...

I just can't fathom seeing an annoying ad in a game and buying the product-whatever it is. Are peoples' brains really that soft and malleable these days?

[Quickening]

That is very annoying. THere is a way to do adds correctly in games. Take for example the latest Ghost Recon, you are fighting through Mexico City, and on lots of the billboards there are Dodge ads and I think Nokia ads. It actually adds depth and realism to the game. But adds just popping up or something so blatant is very bad.

[Geotpf]

This is not the first time I've seen ads in video games, not by a long shot. Heck, remember the arcade game Tapper-the first version had an ad for Budweiser in it (although a later, more common version was just called "Root Beer Tapper", because advertising alcohol in video games is probably a bad idea, although the original would mostly be in bars).

A more recent example are the TrackMania racing games-they have ads on billboards on the race track, and they appear to download new ones from time to time.

[asim]

They would try to get these gamers...just like them.

[ponchoman49]

Yup, the Yawnis does look otherworldly.

[SSrevolution]

Originally Posted by Jhoff

As someone who plays these games I know that I'd personally find this to be very annoying. These games are a form of escapism, anything that distracts the player from the game world (i.e. a car advertisment) is usually looked down upon by players; mainly because it detracts from the fun of the game.

Yeah I know what you mean. Kinda like these highlighted green links everytime you type something like Toyota or leather seating, sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesn't.

[56 Starchief]

Yaris...that thing looks like a giant insect barreling down the road...and not New Beetle-cute bug...i mean ugly get-the-fly-swatter bug

[black93sts]

As a player of online games, I say that those kind of ads are the worst. I think product placement is fine and dandy if it's done well - i.e. having billboards in the game, etc. but just having an ad pop up while you're trying to play wouldn't make me want a Toyota. It would make me HATE Toyota.

Kind of like hearing the HeadOn ads when I'm trying to watch Fox News or CNN...