Nielsen to Track In-Game Ads

By Ian Bell October 18, 2006

Further solidifying the market for in-game advertising, Nielsen today announced the launch of GamePlay Metrics, a new tracking tool that monitors the buying and selling of advertising both in-game and other platforms such as TV and the net.

The new GamePlay Metrics will provide analysis on how game play affects or compliments the use of other electronics media. As an example, they explain how their data shows what television programs gamers watch when they are not playing games.

“The value of an entertainment medium is directly proportional to how well it is measured,” said Jeff Herrmann, Vice President of Nielsen Wireless and Interactive Services. “A reliable and accurate standard of measurement for video gaming will drive advertising investment in this medium and convert video game advertising from a discretionary choice to a must-have option. Nielsen’s unmatched resources, including its portfolio of intellectual property, extensive technology infrastructure and decades of media measurement expertise, are the foundation of the Nielsen Wireless and Interactive Services business.”

"For games to gain prominence as both a medium and a communication platform, the gaming industry must deliver the tools brands need to leverage it most effectively," said Saneel Radia, Group Director at Play, the gaming division of Denuo. "A credible set of data and learnings such as those provided by Nielsen’s GamePlay Metrics Service will provide marketers the confidence they demand, expanding the size and type of deals in this burgeoning space."

The real question is whether gamers are likely to respond positively to targeted ads and the tactics associated with them. Daily Tech reported yesterday that the newly announced Battlefield 2142 game is using spyware tactics to scan your PC in an effort to obtain your browsing habits so they can provide targeted in-game advertisements.

Have companies gone too far and will the new Neilsen GamePlay Metrics push companies to go even further? Or is this just a natural "next step" for the industry?

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