MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The In-Game Ads Awards continues its quest to scour video game worlds for the most creative fictional advertisements for fictional brands – validated by none other than real-world, award-winning creative judges, themselves.
Featured game for this judging session: Sucker Punch Productions’ open-world superhero action adventure game, Infamous Second Son. Set in a fictional recreation of Seattle, the game’s fun mechanics allow you to explore fictional versions of the city’s beloved areas and most well-known landmarks – complete with, of course, fictional advertisements for made-up brands, concerts, movies and shows (there’s even a not-so-fictional nod to a record label and its significant contribution to the ’90s music scene!)
The fictional ad featured in this session: one of the many, many mock coffee brands in video game worlds: a brand called “Squatch Java.” Its amusing moving billboard features its for its sasquatch mascot, complete with a witty headline that’ll make you a big “believer.”
Judging in this session is none other than the well-respected and beloved mentor figure of Asia Pacific creative leaders himself, Ted Lim. He is the former Regional Chief Creative Officer, dentsu Asia-Pacific and now Founder of DIFF Creative Consultants.
Ted expressed his thoughts on the ad with a powerful reminder for advertisers:
Fine Line Between Wanted Interaction And Unwanted Distraction
No one plays Fornite to seek out mock advertisements.
No one goes online to view digital ads.
No one switches on the TV to watch commercials.
No one takes a drive to look at billboards.
No one buys newspapers (if they still buy newspapers) to read ads.
Advertisements – be they in-game, on or offline – have to stand out to earn people’s attention and advertisers should consider the frame of mind of the person whose attention they seek.
The gamer is focused on survival – kill or be killed – and does not appreciate the distraction of ads. It is therefore only appropriate that mock advertisements in games are mostly incidental or in the background.
But if you were the advertiser, you’d want your mock ad to stand out to get more value for your ad dollar. You’d want your mock ad to get the gamer’s attention and, if possible, interaction.
A creative strategy that could work is to work the ad into the game. The Squatch Coffee billboard in Infamous Second Son, for instance, could do more than just adorn the entrance of the café or restaurant. It could become part of the game, so gamers can interact with the billboard instead of ignoring it.
A word of caution – there’s a fine line between wanted interaction and unwanted distraction. Over-commercialization will kill a game faster than a bullet, so the product and marketing teams will have to be mindful not to overkill and risk putting gamers off.
What would it take to make this happen? A lot of work for the game developer and not a little money from the advertiser.
In its present form, the Squatch Coffee mock billboard in Infamous Second Son probably merits a Bronze In-Game Ads Award (you can’t miss the furry creature at the entrance of the café or restaurant). It will certainly deserve more if the advertiser and game developer can make the experience more engaging for gamers.
“Data tells us where the customer is. Media gets us there. What we do when we are face-to-face with the customer, that’s creative. Marketing in the experience economy requires Innovative Business Solutions that move people to move business.”
About Ted Lim, Founder, DIFF Creative Consultants
Ted is one of Asia’s most respected creative leaders. The former Regional Chief Creative Officer at dentsu Asia-Pacific, Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett Singapore and Executive Creative Director at Naga DDB Malaysia worked from China to Australia to produce Innovative Business Solutions that get people to stop, stare and share in the digital, social and experiential space for global brands like Coca-Cola, IKEA, BMW, Adidas, Uniqlo, Samsung and Singapore Airlines.
He served as Cannes Lions Jury President and was honoured by AdWeek as one of 13 global creative leaders whose ideas advanced advertising worldwide. TIME magazine found his integrated campaign that rejuvenated an aging Toyota brand, “utterly insane – and wonderful”.
Under his watch, dentsu Asia-Pacific won the Cannes Lions Grand Prix, the D&AD Black Pencil, the Facebook Award for Innovation, the Asia-Pacific Effie Gold Award and was crowned Campaign Brief Asia’s Most Creative Network twice.
Ted spoke of “Simple Truths in Marketing” at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul and the P&G Asia Brand Managers College in Singapore, shared his thoughts on “When Data Meets Creativity” in Cannes, discussed “Death Or Deliverance By AI” at The Network One Indie Summit and talked about “Creative Strategy & Innovative Business Solutions” at The Tribe Global Conference.
Ted now works as an independent creative consultant for advertisers, creative and media agencies, including a tech start-up in the US, a creative agency group in Europe and a digital agency network in Asia. He speaks at advertising and marketing conferences, writes thought pieces on human insights, marketing strategies and creative ideas, runs workshops and mentors business and creative talents across multiple sectors and markets.
ABOUT THE IN-GAME ADS AWARDS
The In-Game Ads Awards is the first and only advertising industry awards of its kind that recognizes the creativity of totally fictional ads for totally fictional brands from across video game worlds, as judged by very real, globally-recognized creative leaders. Winning ads get awarded The Trophies – aptly named after the achievement systems found in video games.
Created by Rey Tiempo, multi-awarded Brand Gamification Specialist, creator of “Game On”, the industry’s only portal on Gaming X Marketing, and a sought-after industry thought leader, representing the Philippines and leading the Gaming conversations on the most prestigious stages across Asia Pacific and beyond. Rey is Chief Creative Officer at Minotaur, a team of gaming, tech, esports, music, and fandom culture drivers and community builders for brands.
Found an interesting mock ad from a game you’re playing? Email us your screenshots at reytiempo@entergameon.com
