Over the few past years I've been playing around with the concept of Contextual branding. The notion of sending the right message, to the right audience, at the right time. Let's make the PSP for example. For some reason it doesn't have a GPS (Global Positioning System) built in.
Imagine if it did.
You're walking down the street, gaming away, and after you've completed first level you come across an ad asking you if you want more energy. And if you do, check out the 7-Eleven you're just passing which has Red Bull energy drink on special. Type in the bar code and get another 100 points on your game.
Futuristic? Not really. Red Bull already features in PlayStation 1, and contextual messages are being tested in Australia. What's your take on this?
Related Stories: | Topics:Innovation, guest host: martin lindstrom, Red Bull GmbH, Red Bull Energy Drink, Sony PlayStation, Sony PSP, 7-Eleven Inc. |
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Recent Comments | 4 Total
March 25, 2005 at 2:36pm by dude
i think the main issue with this notion of "contextual branding" is that it borders on obstrusive advertising. there is no "branding" involved so much so as in-your-face/blatant product promotion. who cares if i'm walking down the street gaming and i pass by a 7-11 that carries red bull or Bud lite that just so happens to be a sponsor of the game i happen to be playing.
how about tweaking your notion to allowing consumer to opt-in to the contextual branding.
in the end, is it any different from pop-up ads?
March 26, 2005 at 12:00am by Ed Cotton
I am not sure it's an application for games, but instead wireless phones with built in GPS. Say for example you are a loyal Banana Republic customer, already opted-in to their email program, and you are driving or walking within 200 yards of a BR store, perhaps you could recieve a promotional message from the company enouraging you to sisit the store within the next 30 minutes to recieve a special discount.
March 27, 2005 at 11:07am by Nir Ofir
Location based advertising with context is a good idea but.... My guess is that people will not care much for this way of advertising. They will feel that their privacy is being stripped and that they are being followed wherever they go.
Contextual branding and small software that follows us over the net are OK for our virtual identities but when it comes to real life, people will fight for their privacy.
(I'm sorry for my bad English)
March 27, 2005 at 11:48am by jameskitty
I think the consumer backlash to such an aggressive and intrusive campaign would be instantaneous. That would be a horrible experience for consumers, and the youth market won't tolerate their games being interrupted. lest you forget, the point of advertising is to appeal to the consumer.
oh and red bull's presence in PS1 was a side effect of them using the same graphics house that the wipeout games did. the company was relatively unknown at the time and The Designer's Republic included their logo in with their design of the game. A logo flashing by on a billboard during your racing game is much much less intrusive than interrupting the game with a pop-up ad.