August 10, 2005

The Future of Advergaming

We've written about advergaming... product placement and advertising in video games. It's a fast-growing medium, and it deserves serious consideration by appropriate advertisers.

The controversy over gaming is reminiscent of what went on with rock and roll when I was growing up. Young people love it. Older people don't.

76% of the video gamers are under 40. And, of course, most of their critics are much older...AND have never played a video game.

So, what the critics don't know is that video games are truly challenging and help people learn how to make decisions, solve problems. And, isn't that what life is all about?

A recent article in The Economist tells how video games are now also being used for corporate training. Companies like IBM and Nokia are using games to test workers' knowledge of rules and regulations. And PriceWaterhouseCoopers uses games to teach novice auditors about financial derivatives.

As two management consultants note, "gamers are skilled at multi-tasking, good at making decisions and evaluating risks, flexible in the face of change and inclined to treat setbacks as chances to try again."

Not a bad skill set!

I spoke with a potential staff member today and he said that one reason why he was considering looking elsewhere for employment is that the leadership of his present company only gives lip service to the new technologies. Underneath it all, according to this fellow, they are firmly wedded to the ways of the past.

What a shame. And what a shame that unknowing critics are dismissing the value of video games, or - worse - grossly mischaracterizing them to gain political favor.

How common it is for us to dismiss and denigrate that which is unfamiliar to us. It's a REAL shame when we're ignoring something that might serve our clients well.

Smart advertisers will seriously consider the exciting new medium of advergaming. And well they should.

Caught in the Rain

We wandered in to Bob Ellis on Saturday to buy Carol a pair of inexpensive sandals on sale.

Then it started to rain...really hard.

Six pairs of shoes later, we left the store.

Watching the grace with which the people at Bob Ellis serve their customers is like watching a great symphony orchestra. It appears to be an effortless exercise. Not the right size? Not the right color? No problem...they drift away to some inner sactum with no complaint, no rolling of eyes...and back they come with something new...usually what you asked for, plus something else that they - and you - simply could not resist.

Ever want to watch satisfied customers? Stand outside Bob Ellis and watch the women come out of that store. Want to know WHY they're satisfied. Stand inside and what what happens. There's a real lesson there for any retailer.

Two days later, I read in USAToday that women's fashion footwear sales are up nearly 5% to $16.4 billion for the 12 months ended in June. A chief industry analyst said that most women keep nearly two dozen pairs of shoes in their closet, with 14 pairs in rotation.

The article also talked about the chain DSW and their new ads focusing on the experience of buying shoes. The ads grew out of listening to women talk about their shopping experience.

Sounds pretty basic...listening to the customer...tapping in to their emotional experience. But maybe it's new for the shoe category. Who else has been living in the dark ages?