This document summarizes several case studies highlighting how companies have successfully integrated brands into video games. One case study describes how Nike was integrated into the game I AM PLAYR to promote Nike football boots through product placement and unlocking new boots in the game. Another case study outlines how SupersonicAds partnered with ODEON Cinemas and 20th Century Fox to promote the film Prometheus by rewarding Facebook gamers for booking tickets. A third case study details how Nokia promoted its Lumia smartphones through an IGN gaming feature about the top 100 gaming moments.

1. Case Study
Case Study Case Study
Front Cover
This study from the IAB Games Council, conducted by Kantar Media highlights
that playing video games is an engrained and mainstream activity in the UK,
presenting a highly engaged, varied and appealing audience for advertisers.
Gaming Britain
The Challenge
• Create engagement with Nike’s core target audience of
‘Football Obsessed Teens’,
• Reinforce Nike’s commitment to football,
• Position as leaders in innovation
• Raise awareness of existing products and new launches.
The Execution
different in-game bonuses corresponding to the real-world
attributes of the boots.
We gave Nike a visible presence throughout all content which
revolves around life on the pitch. By using Nike products in
video, users engage with the brand every time they play.
We back up product placement by making the Nike boot
range available in the virtual store. Having the right kit
is a fundamental part of the game and we ensure that
the association between success on the pitch and Nike
products is clear.
As the users progress, more boots unlock. Each has
different attributes correlating to speed, accuracy or curl,
which affect in-game performance. We mirror promotional
activity by unveiling new virtual boots the day that the real
versions are released in store.
By working with Nike to understand the assets they had, we
scripted a story that was additive to the core narrative. This
keeps the Nike branding front of mind at different stages of
the game, without being overbearing for the user. Obtaining
a Nike sponsorship deal, visiting the Nike academy and
bumping into Nike talent such as Theo Walcott and Aaron
Lennon are some examples.
The Results
We forecast over 4m users will engage with Nike during
their 12-month partnership. So far, users have bought over
300’000 pairs of Nike boots and spent over 800 days in
front of Nike branding.
The idea: Integrate
Nike into the I
AM PLAYR world
seamlessly by creating
a number of storylines,
use Nike branded
products in all football
related scenes and sell
virtual products, with
different boots giving
We R Interactive and Nike raise awareness of products and Nike’s commitment to football
Testimonials
“As a brand we are constantly looking for new ways
to credibly connect with young footballers. But
fundamentally that needs to be a connection on their
terms, not ours. I AM PLAYR represents not only the
future of gaming, but also one of the potential futures
of brand communication. For Nike it’s a natural brand
partnership that we just couldn’t miss being a part of.”
Simon Owen,
Brand Communications Manager, Nike
SupersonicAds and ODEON launch ODEON Event Organiser app through F-Commerce
The Challenge
ODEON launched their F-Commerce app ‘Event Organiser’
in December 2011, aligning cinema with Facebook
functionality to create a truly social experience online. The
challenge was to increase awareness of the app through the
use of social games. SupersonicAds is a global Facebook
Games partner and has partnerships with over 500 of the
largest and most popular social games.
The Campaign
ODEON’s social team worked with 20th Century Fox on
a mechanic whereby Facebook fans would be exclusively
rewarded to book two or more tickets for Prometheus
using the Event Organiser, and by doing so they would be
entered into a draw for the chance of winning one of five new
generation iPads.
The Execution
SupersonicAds targeted players of sci-fi and action games
with a standout flash demo and it’s user initiated/rewarded
(users were rewarded with virtual currency for watching the
ad) video unit. The competition was integrated into the ad
giving players an added chance to win an iPad by simply
booking tickets for the film.
The Results
SupersonicAds delivered an average Click Through Rate of
12.73% organic clicks (non rewarded) delivered post video
view. This demonstrates social games are an effective channel
for delivering engagement and that performance branding
video product (Brand Connect from SupersonicAds) can
harness that engagement and produces tangible business
benefits.
Post activity ODEON saw a 10x increase in app installs for
Event Organiser as well as a significant increase in revenue
through F-Commerce.
“SupersonicAds delivered a better click through rate
than initially anticipated and proved that Facebook
gamers can be converted to install rich applications
through to purchase when targeted and incentivised”
Alex Packham,
Social Media Executive, ODEON.
Case Study
The Challenge
To create a high impact campaign that would target the
gaming audience and position Nokia Lumia as the handset
for gamers, and unlock new content, promoting their new
Microsoft Windows handsets.
The Execution
Nokia targeted gamers through visually impactful branding
on the IGN homepage, Tech channel, and Microsoft channel.
Nokia also sponsored IGN’s biggest new gaming tent pole
feature of 2011 – Top 100 Gaming Moments.
Nokia had full share-of-voice over the five day feature
that celebrated the Top 100 Gaming Moments of all time,
from Galaga to Zelda, Pac-Man to Gears of War, FIFA to
Street Fighter. These are the moments that stick in your
head years after you first experienced them, the very best
that videogames have to offer. From cinematic emotional
sucker-punches like Aerith’s death in Final Fantasy 7 to
gaming milestones like those first steps into Hyrule Field
in Zelda: Ocarina of Time to competitive triumphs like that
first Battlefield win, these are the experiences that define
gaming and fuelled conversation and controversy among
our audience.
This video rich, bespoke feature was fully Nokia branded and
delivered millions of page views alongside extremely deep
engagement with over 11 minutes spent on the feature on
average.
The Results
This video rich bespoke feature was fully Nokia branded, and
delivered a huge number of page views and extremely deep
engagement.
IGN and Nokia promote Nokia Lumia
SupersonicAds and Coty launch Tom Daley advergame on Facebook
The Challenge
To drive real awareness for the Adidas Bodycare brand and
our association with Tom Daley.
The Execution
SupersonicAds created a simple but addictive Diving mini-
game. Users launched a SupersonicAds Brandconnect unit
in Facebook’s leading games and were presented with the
game. Those who opted in and interacted were thanked
afterwards with free game content for the Facebook game
they were playing.
The Results
The engagement was seeded across Facebook top titles
and 70% of users who initiated the advert went on to
complete the game. Over the course of the campaign
SupersonicAds generated 75’000 game plays and 10.7% of
users then clicked through to The adidas Body Care website
(www.adidas.com/bodycare).
“As well as delivering high quality interactive content
to an engaged audience on Facebook, those exposed
were guaranteed a great advertising experience thanks
to the free game content afterwards, helping drive
purchase consideration and brand favourability.”
Sarah Davies,
Marketing Manager, Coty Beauty UK.
The IAB Games Steering Group is the UK’s only committee of leading
experts dedicated to educating brands and agencies about the benefits
of advertising in and around games media and it’s role in the media
mix, proving its effectiveness and showing that every demographic play
games! Initiatives include educational handbooks, research including
games adspend and audience segmentation and events.
Its members comprise of leading media owners and networks.
This research from the IAB, in conjunction with research agency, Kantar Media, dispels common misconceptions about
the Games audience by highlighting the true size of this market. We spoke to 3000 adults and 1000 children about the
role of gaming in the UK.
Segmentation: Seven different categories of gamers were identified in the research through an advanced behavioural
segmentation analysis. This lets you see the types of game player, who they are and the platforms they play on.
Internet Advertising Bureau
14 Macklin Street
London WC2B 5NF
Tel: +44(0)20 7050 6969
info@iabuk.net
www.iabuk.net
Meet the IAB Games Council
For the full research visit
www.iabuk.net/gamingbritain.
For further information on this research
project email research@iabuk.net.
For further information on the IAB Games
Council email steve@iabuk.net.

2. gaming elite 14%
networkers7%
new
gen players 12%
pcopportunists11%
casualplayers16%
individualists 21%
interactors19%
41%
49%
11
27
30
43%
19%
47%
34%
24%
46%
29%
36%
56%
8
57%
34%
9
35%
14
50%
53%
47%
59% 41%
53%
47%
54%
52%
48%
46%
44%
51%
49%
56%
61%
57%
58%65%
41% 59%
62%
38%
35%
43%
42%
39%
47
53
%
of all players
Disproving the stereotypeDisproving the stereotype2
male | femalegender
social grade
age
abc1 | c2de
16-24 | 25-44 | 45-65
of Networkers spend over half their
time on social network games
of Casual Players play for 30 mins
or less
of Interactors play with people
online they don’t know on consoles
59%
77%
79%
59%
77%
79%