Gamers targeted with hidden advertising

Advertising worked into video games can have a powerful effect, giving the player a positive opinion of the product being pushed, according to a study by Nielsen Entertainment.

The study suggested that the games industry has moved itself into an influential position where it can challenge other media for advertising revenue.

Nielsen Entertainment found that game makers are now trying to come up with a way to measure the impact of in-game ads in order to charge for them.

The study found that properly placed products in a game can make the gameplay seem more realistic, but can annoy gamers if they pop up inappropriately.

Nielsen Entertainment asked 1,350 active male gamers aged 13-44 to try four games containing adverts which were embedded in a range of forms. Responses after playing the games revealed that the integration of the ads had a " persuasive" effect.

Previous studies have shown that static ads in games can improve awareness of a brand in the same way as a 30-second television spot.

The Nielsen research suggested that ads which are integrated into the game in an appropriate way can lead to more positive responses to the product.