SCEA creates in-game advertising group, keeps Home free
by Nick Doerr 
{ Oct 8th 2007 at 2:30PM }
What can we expect? Just about any sort of "dynamic, relevant advertisements" you can think of. SCEA will make sure they're just like ads in real life -- billboards, posters, images on shopping bags or soda cans, things on your TV, and more. While this is a neat concept, we don't know how well it'll actually work. Sure, we could customize our avatar to drink Coca-Cola, but will that really make us want to go buy some? Who knows. Still, promotions like those will undoubtedly let free PSN services thrive.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
DownwardMonkey @ Oct 8th 2007 2:35PM
Frankly, advertising very very very rarely ever works on me. I mean, sure sometimes it does but for the most part I don't give a crap what kinda coke it is, just gimme the coke.
Solace @ Oct 8th 2007 2:41PM
hey, just so long as advertising keeps it free, i'm down for it in Home.
now where's my Pepsi...?
Paul @ Oct 8th 2007 2:42PM
if it keeps it free, i dont care.
Trev @ Oct 8th 2007 2:43PM
This will be fine, provided it's a decently integrated ad. I don't mind logos and stuff, but as long as it's not a 300 foot pixelated axe billboard like R6V got, I won't have any issues with it. Go ahead and try to sell me things, but at least /try/ to sell them, don't just throw a shitty gif image into a game.
Ciaran @ Oct 8th 2007 2:53PM
I wouldn't mind that kind of advertising in Home, it wouldn't affect me in anyway. That reminds me, I want some Pepsi.
Akamaru @ Oct 8th 2007 2:56PM
Think of it this way: Xbox Live is NOT FREE. They also have obtrusive ads right in your (inter)face.
Sony is doing things right with home.
PGAGolf3r @ Oct 8th 2007 2:55PM
Mountain Dew put Halo 3 on a drink(actually made a drink). You think Xbox people went and bought some of it? I'm sure they did, heck I even had to try it since it was promoting our life style of gaming! Now just reverse engineer the concept. Instead of putting the game on the produck, put the product in the game. It will work, no doubt about it.
drdre74 @ Oct 8th 2007 5:00PM
would be cool if some how we could click out on something and be taking to their website or get info on that product somehow like in a email sent to a Home computer in your room. Just a thought. I know some times I'll be driving and see a billboard and be like damn some ice cream would be nice right about now.
Nazim @ Oct 8th 2007 2:59PM
yes yes pepsi....mmmm
well as long as home is free and the ads arent intrusive, im cool with it
roy @ Oct 8th 2007 3:01PM
great news!
if it keeps it free, i really dont care!
Egster @ Oct 8th 2007 3:05PM
Like others have said, as long as it isn't intrusive it's no problem. An online virtual world wouldn't be much of a representation of the real world without advertisements. :D
gamesblow @ Oct 8th 2007 3:21PM
Why not have in game adds where they could be relevant? Imagine playing GTA 4 on the xbox 360 without the endorsments of coke and so forth and so on and then playing the ps3 version with a slew of endorsements such as nike and coke and so fortha nd so on. IT'd lend itself more to reality on the ps3 version. I say go for it. Now, they hafta be relevant of courrse. I don't wanna see like Family guy or Dane Cook billbords up in my games... No friggin' way.
Sammy @ Oct 8th 2007 3:30PM
advertising works in terms of what people stock. While the advert may not work on you directly...just go to the store and see your choices. Largely people will buy brands they are familiar with. Keeping it in the minds of the public.
Andy @ Oct 8th 2007 3:39PM
@7
How ironic is that, PSN is free and adfree. Xbox Live is $60 and full of ads.
(until home)
OrganicShadow @ Oct 8th 2007 3:49PM
As long as they keep it in the form of "natural" advertisement, and not actual "your game will start in 5 seconds..." type of shit we have to deal with on the web, then im cool with it.
Adverts don't really affect me anyway, as I usually see something and think "ehh...can't afford that". Cheapo on everything with my poor ass FTW.
H2Os @ Oct 8th 2007 3:55PM
Anyone remember Enter the Matrix and the Powerade Machines?
In game advertising isn't anything new. I can deal with it as long as they keep it within reason.
Neil @ Oct 8th 2007 4:07PM
Ads aren't a big deal, but I wouldn't want to see them in game where the ads would look out of place or break the fantasy. In a game like Gran Turismo ads are fine, but I wouldn't want to see them in something like Lord Of The Rings.
As Home, ads would be fine and might add a bit of reality/realism to the world.
Flint @ Oct 8th 2007 4:27PM
Im pretty sure there is a study on subliminal things such as most adverts aimed at males has a Penis shaped object or a breast shaped object (normally car adverts) This is not for gay this is because males react more to sex related things..
I think advertising isn't like " OMG COKE BILLBOARD ... MUST GET COKE" its WAY more subconscious.
Anyway I actually like the idea of Advertising in HOME don't get me wrong but yes i do like Advertising as long as its good and clean. I wouldn't mind going into a Nike Space (seen in previous home footage) and having a look at their new shoes before going out and buying one. Stuff like that is more than good with me.
sicklesdawg @ Oct 8th 2007 4:26PM
So long as its Free!
Jason @ Oct 8th 2007 5:53PM
I don't mind something like this in HOME but when it is in an actual game and blatantly out of place it pisses me off. I want to play the game not look at ads. I'm dreading the day when you'll be playing FFXXXII and there will be pop-up ads every time you use an attack or something. "Shiva is proudly sponsored by Chevrolet, the Heartbeat of America"
Ian @ Oct 8th 2007 8:01PM
So when's Sony going to create a group that finds out how to actually successfully advertise the PS3 itself? ;)
Galley @ Oct 8th 2007 10:28PM
(Goes to fridge to grab an ice cold Pepsi...)
Phil @ Oct 9th 2007 12:58PM
Can we deface the adverts like in real life? :)
TheWakeUpCall @ Oct 13th 2007 8:30PM
'Sure, we could customize our avatar to drink Coca-Cola, but will that really make us want to go buy some?'
A lot of advertising is just brand awareness. Just telling people that your brand is out there, so that when people think coke, they think CocaCola and not Pepsi (or the other way round). So that when they see it on the shelf they pick that one instead of the other.
Ben @ Oct 16th 2007 2:05AM
I would be fine by it.
It would be cool if when you buy a product in real life like nike shoes you could get a unique code or something and go to the nike shop in home put in the unique code and get the same shoes on your avatar that you have just bought?