The two recently announced the deal which will bring original content to Dr Pepper consumers via EA's games through 2010 with codes found on more than 500 million Dr Pepper products.

"We're proud to partner with an innovative marketing company like Dr Pepper that has such a rich heritage," said Elizabeth Harz, Senior Vice president of Global Media Sales for Electronic Arts. "EA is always looking for new ways to reach its fans, and by aligning with Dr Pepper, we're able to offer consumers premium content that enhances the gaming experience."

The Sims 3 is the first game to participate in the campaign beginning early next year. Codes from specially marked Dr Pepper packages will unlock exclusive premium downloadable content that may include one-of-a-kind beach party items or all the elements of a fall tailgating party.

"The Sims team is particularly excited about this offering because the Dr Pepper team shares our passion for introducing its brand to our player community in ways that will add to the players' experience," said Steve Seabolt, Vice President of Global Brand Development for The Sims. "This will include exclusive downloadable content available via our TheSims3.com community site. We have huge confidence that this ‘opt-in value add' will have our players thinking very kindly of the Dr Pepper brand."

This is the sort of branding I can deal with it.

Blizzard COO Paul Sams put the fire out before it started, stating in the press release, “This partnership does not include in-game advertising, as Massive understands and respects our stance against advertising that might detract from gameplay or offend our players.” That's the way you do it — I mean, no one wants to be distracted by American Apparel ads while trying to fend off a Zerg swarm.

The full press release, announcing the contractual marriage between the World of Warcraft developer and Massive, is after this.

Massive Inc. and Blizzard Entertainment Form Multi-Year Advertising Relationship

Massive teams with Blizzard Entertainment for ads on its Web sites and Battle.net online game service.

NEW YORK — Dec. 3, 2008 — Massive Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. and a leading network for video game advertising, and Blizzard Entertainment Inc., a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software, announced today a multi-year deal that names Massive as the exclusive advertising service provider for Blizzard Entertainment®’s Web sites and Battle.net® online game service in the U.S., Canada, Europe, South Korea and Australia.

In addition, Massive has teamed with Intergi Inc., the world’s largest Web-based video game and interactive entertainment network and advertising representation company, to manage Web-based advertising to reach Blizzard’s audience of core gamers and gaming enthusiasts. Intergi is powered by the Microsoft Atlas AdManager platform to deliver client advertising across its network of more than 700 sites.

Through this relationship, Massive will serve advertising to a highly engaged audience that visits Blizzard Entertainment’s collection of heavily trafficked Web sites and plays using Battle.net, the company’s online game service with millions of active users. On Battle.net, players can meet online to play with one another in Blizzard Entertainment’s “StarCraft®,” “Warcraft®” and “Diablo®” series of games, including the upcoming “StarCraft II” and “Diablo III.” Blizzard Entertainment’s Web sites include the home page for the enormously popular “World of Warcraft®,” a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) with over 11 million subscribers throughout the world.

“Our partnership with Blizzard Entertainment aligns Massive with the creative powerhouse behind some of the most renowned real-time strategy games of all time, as well as the world’s most popular MMORPG,” said JJ Richards, general manager of platform services for the Advertiser and Publisher Solutions Group at Microsoft. “This deal builds on Massive’s top-tier network of console games by giving us immediate credibility on the PC. And with Intergi, we are working with a highly targeted partner that knows the gaming audience to take a brand’s campaign from the Web site into the Battle.net game network.”

“Our decision to partner with Massive was based on several important factors, including their technical expertise, global sales presence, and willingness to work with us to ensure advertisements appear only in contexts and environments that make sense,” said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “This partnership does not include in-game advertising, as Massive understands and respects our stance against advertising that might detract from gameplay or offend our players.”

“We are thrilled to work with two industry pioneers; both Massive and Blizzard are two of today’s leading names in the world of gaming, and their confidence in our network and advertising representation services is a true testament to what Intergi offers when it comes to reaching today’s gaming enthusiast,” said Jayson Dubin, CEO of Intergi.

About Blizzard Entertainment Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes ten #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active users.

About Intergi
Recently ranked as the largest digital network targeting the online gaming and entertainment sector, Intergi is both a leading online gaming and entertainment advertising network, and representation company offering a hybrid of online opportunities that connect today’s advertisers and media buyers with consumers comprising the $25 billion gaming industry. Offering reach capabilities of over 9 billion page views and 160 million unique visitors on average, each month, Intergi offers targeted advertising placements — site specific, channel-wide and run-of-network — through more than 700 specialized gaming and entertainment categories including massively multiplayer online (MMO) and first person shooter (FPS) genres. Intergi’s global market allows advertisers and publishers to connect from different parts of the world and access a more robust and viable gaming enthusiast. Based in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the company was launched in May 2007 by a team of seasoned gaming industry veterans. For more information, visit www.intergi.com.

About Massive Inc.
Massive Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp., is the creator of a leading network for dynamic video game advertising. The Massive Network offers advertisers the ability to engage an aggregated gaming audience in real time across multiple platforms. Over 300 blue-chip advertisers have run campaigns across the Massive Network throughout North America and Europe. Publishers in the Massive Network generate revenue through dynamic in-game advertising, enabling them to fully realize the value of their content while preserving and enhancing the game experience. Massive’s technology allows for all forms of downloadable media and advertising content to be contextually integrated into the game environment, including image, audio, video and game object formats. More information can be found online at http://www.massiveincorporated.com.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

And while new entries in the Call of Duty series is a given, as is further exploitation of the Bond license — this time, by Bizarre Creations — the fact that you're "not going to be playing Tony Hawk [with] a controller in your hands" will probably come as a surprise to some gamers who haven't been keeping up. Let's just hope whoever is at the helm improves upon what Skate It did.

Newsweek blogger/griot N'Gai Croal is twittering like a man possessed at the Massive summit, reporting that the next Call of Duty, back in Infinity Ward's hands again, will hit Fall of 2009.

Activision-published siblings Bizarre Creations are said to be "working on 3rd person Bond game for 2009" that's "racing and driving focused" as well as a second racing game described as "Mario Kart meets Forza." The former project jibes with a rumor from last December, so we'd expect this one has been in development for a significant period.

Little of that will probably come as a surprise to anyone following the Activision development hamster wheel, but it's good to know that the wholly owned Bizarre isn't just sitting on its hands. We'll be keeping an eye on N'Gai's Blackberry fingering for those sweet nuggets of info.

N'Gai Croal's Twitter

How to Find that Barack Obama Ad in Burnout Paradise [MTV Multiplayer]

Media research firm Interpret looked into four of Massive's advertisers: an unnamed fast-food restaurant, candy company and entertainment studio, plus Adidas footwear and apparel, and found the ads are having an effect, showing significant percentage increases in brand recognition when compared to those who didn't see the in-game ads.

With the Adidas promotion, for example, gamers who saw the ads in 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K7 said things like "Adidas is the only brand for me" and "Adidas is an inspirational brand" 70 percent more often than those not exposed to the ads.

And Massive's study seems to show gamers don't mind being influenced: 70 percent of gamers said the ads enhanced realism, fit the games they appeared in (universally sports games, except for the ads in Rainbow Six: Vegas) and that the ads "looked cool."

In-Game Advertising Research Proves Effectiveness for Brands Across Categories and Game Titles

adidas, other leading brands from quick-service restaurant, candy and entertainment categories drive key marketing metrics for brands and products advertised throughout Massive Network.

NEW YORK — June 3, 2008 — Massive Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. and a leading network for video game advertising, and Interpret LLC, a leading new media research firm, today released research results that provide further insight into the significant brand impact of dynamic in-game advertising. The study demonstrates that the gaming audience has a consistently positive opinion of the ads and how the ads affect their game experience.

Interpret conducted detailed research on behalf of Massive and four of its advertisers: adidas utilizing brand advertising for footwear and apparel, a quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand promoting a tie-in to gaming and a specific menu option, a candy company marketing new creative for its candy bar brand, and an entertainment studio advertising the DVD release for a hit film. The study measures a broad range of brand metrics across game environments and suggests best practices to guide advertisers and their agencies within this rapidly maturing medium.

adidas tested ads it ran through the Massive Network in “Major League Baseball® 2K7,” published by 2K Sports, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. Among those exposed to the adidas ads (the test group), 40 percent recall the company’s tagline of “Impossible Is Nothing” — an increase of 90 percent over those not exposed to the ads (the control group). The number of gamers exposed to the ads who agreed with the statements “adidas is the only brand for me” and “adidas is an inspirational brand” rose 70 percent over those not exposed to the ads. In addition, 73 percent of gamers recalling the ads agreed with the statement that “the ads enhanced the realism of the game.”

“The influence of gaming on our target for adidas can’t be denied,” said Brian Mathena, group media director for Carat. “The scalability and effectiveness that Massive’s dynamic in-game solution provides is evident in the results of our efforts. Massive has consistently been a true partner in consulting on the best gaming solutions for adidas and the rest of our clients.”

Drawing on its unparalleled experience in video game advertising research, Massive has conducted studies for more than 30 clients across North America and Europe assessing the impact of in-game ads across numerous key brand metrics, including purchase interest, brand recommendation and brand attributes. Results such as these released today help the advertising community understand how and why in-game advertising works, and guides the development of best practices for this important component of media plans.

Across all game genres and advertisers studied, the research revealed that an average of 70 percent of gamers agreed with statements that the dynamic in-game ads “contributed to realism,” “fit the games” in which they were served and looked “cool.”

A leading QSR brand executed custom ad creative for select titles with strong results. Among those gamers exposed to the QSR ads in “Need for Speed Carbon,” a racing title published by Electronic Arts Inc., the number saying that they would recommend the QSR brand to others rose by 39 percent compared with the control group, and those assigning the QSR brand the highest possible brand rating rose by 17 percent from the control group to the test group. Fifty-six percent of exposed gamers agreed with the statement that the ads made the gaming environment feel more interactive.

A global candy bar company executed a branding campaign in “NASCAR® 08,” published by Electronic Arts. Seventy-five percent of gamers recalled the candy bar in-game advertising with 56 percent recalling the specific ad creative. Within the test group, 72 percent agreed with the statement that the candy bar is “a great snack to eat while playing video games,” an increase of 29 percent from the control group; the proportion agreeing that the candy bar “gives you energy” and “is cool” rose 24 percent and 21 percent from control group to test group, respectively.

An entertainment studio ran a campaign advertising the DVD release of a hit film in “Rainbow Six: Vegas,” an action title published by Ubisoft Entertainment. Unaided awareness of the DVD increased 16 percent among gamers exposed to the ads as compared with the control group, with 66 percent of those recalling the campaign having a more positive opinion of the DVD following in-game exposure. Purchase intent for the DVD rose 23 percent from control group to test group, with 80 percent of exposed gamers responding in the survey that “they would probably or definitely purchase the DVD.”

“The depth of this research reflects Massive’s commitment to offering advertisers an understanding of how in-game advertising can impact brands across game genres and advertising categories,” said Cory Van Arsdale, CEO of Massive. “As the in-game medium matures and establishes its position on the media plan, advertisers and agencies are eager for insight into creative nuances and best practices for maximizing its impact. We view this type of guidance as an essential part of our role as an industry leader and innovator.”

Methodology

Interpret implemented a test/control methodology for each game in which Massive dynamically served ads, totaling over 1,000 gamers across the United States. Both control and test group respondents played the same game title that was studied for each ad client. The control group consisted of those who had played the game but were not exposed to ads delivered from Massive. The test group had played the game on a connected Xbox 360 system or PC during the time the ad campaigns were live, and had the opportunity to be exposed to the ads delivered by Massive. Both groups were asked the same set of questions about the brands and ads included in the study, and the respondent differences were evaluated to identify significant shifts in each brand metric measured.

About Interpret LLC

Interpret is a next-generation media and market research firm with a focus on evaluating and measuring the intersections of content, advertising, technology and consumer behavior. Interpret’s management team has unique experience pioneering new custom research methodologies and analytics to help companies Plan, Test and Measure™ their new media strategies. In addition to campaign ad effectiveness testing, Interpret’s suite of products and services include GaMeasure and GamerLog, two syndicated services developed to deliver planning and measurement intelligence to the burgeoning field of in and around-game advertising. The firm is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, with offices in New York and London. More information can be found online at: http://www.interpretllc.com.

About Massive Inc.

Massive Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft, is the creator of a leading network for dynamic video game advertising. The Massive Network offers advertisers the ability to reach an aggregated gaming audience in real time across multiple platforms. Over 200 blue-chip advertisers have run campaigns across the Massive Network throughout North America and Europe. Publishers in the Massive Network generate revenue through dynamic in-game advertising, enabling them to fully realize the value of their content while preserving and enhancing the game experience. Massive’s technology allows for all forms of downloadable media and advertising content to be contextually integrated into the game environment, including image, audio, video and game object formats. More information can be found online at http://www.massiveincorporated.com.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

When the team-based first person shooter does ship, it will have one feature that will supposedly help pay for the half-decade of development—in-game ads. Neil Postlethwaite of Splash Damage says it's not all bad:

ETQW will feature appropriate advertisements in select locations of our levels. The ads aren't intrusive and you won't have to interact with them; they'll just be part of the normal environment. In fact, there are some places it's quite odd not to have an advertisement - the sides of container trucks, for example. Great care is being taken to ensure that all our ads are appropriate for the game world and we have absolute approval rights in this area. If it's not appropriate or it's distracting, it won't go in.

I feel ever so slightly soothed. It's better than swapping out gun meshes for tacos, that's for damn sure. Michael McWhertor

A Word About In-Game Ads [Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Community]

For instance, the NPD reported Call of Duty having sold 2 million copies in the states as of early February. Once you take into account people playing with friends, rentals, lending, and used sales, the game has been played by over 9 million gamers - over four times the original figure. Imagine the kind of difference that number would make to a potential advertiser.

On top of basic reach, Gameasure also claims to be the first accurate way of measuring specific demographic reach, offering Guitar Hero II data as an example. A tool that can tell a company that 30% of GHII players were females between the ages of 12 and 34 is going to be an amazing tool for publishers looking for ad revenue.

The report really drives home the importance of games to advertisers, which worries me. It isn't so bad right now, but how long before we find ourselves fighting off dragons with the Mystically Fresh Blade of Snuggles Fabric Softener? Michael Fahey

Interpret's New Media Reach And Frequency Study Reveals Measuring Games By Retail Sales Significantly Under-Values The Advertising Medium

New Research Substantiates Video Games as Key Ad Vehicle

LOS ANGELES - March 21, 2007 - Interpret, a leading new media research and measurement firm, recently released findings from their latest Gameasure report which reinforces the significance of video games as a medium for marketers seeking to reach and influence key demographic groups, particularly young males. The report measures actual reach, frequency and demographic makeup of over 80 video game titles and shows that games reach well beyond reported retail sales figures.

"Retail sales capture only a portion of the total audience playing individual game titles, suggesting current in-game advertising deals which are primarily tied to these sales figures, under-value the medium" Michael Dowling, CEO, Interpret, noted. "As Gameasure clearly shows, the impact of social game play, rental, used sales and pass-around is not inconsequential and can vary widely by game title/genre, so having a more comprehensive measure of game play activity is crucial for in-game advertising to be seriously considered."

As an example of video game's extensive reach, Activision's Call of Duty 3 sold 2 million units in the U.S. as of February 3, 2007, according to The NPD Group. However, the actual reach as reported by Gameasure is nearly 9 million gamers - over a 4 times multiple; EA's Madden NFL 2007 has sold over 6 million units, but 14 million have actually played the game - just over a 2 times multiple.

Another key aspect of Gameasure is that it quantifies, for the first time, the demographic profile of individuals playing specific titles. For example, 21% of all males between the ages of 18 to 34 have played Halo2; of the 6.8 million people who have played Guitar Hero 2, 56% are males 12 to 34 and 30% are females 12 to 34. "There is a paucity of credible data on who actually plays different video game titles and franchises," said Dowling. "Gameasure takes the guess work out of the equation and provides a credible third-party measure of game play activity for buyers and sellers."

Advertisers and agencies have been exploring opportunities to integrate or place their brands/products into video games as a way to reach the elusive male audience. To date, there has been no reliable source of information to evaluate the reach or duration impact of video games. Activision, a long-time proponent of integrating advertising into video games (dating back to 1999) is a charter client of Interpret's Gameasure, having assisted in the development of the product, along with select advertising agency stakeholders. "We've known for a long time that the secondary reach of video games is significant," said David Anderson, Senior Director of Business Development, Activision. "Having a third-party measurement will not only help validate video games as a viable alternative, but will properly value the medium."

Interpret's Gameasure data is available through several media planning software products that currently reside on agency desktops (e.g. eTELMAR Crosstabing and All Media Planner software). This will enable media planners and buyers to assess video games' unique reach against broadcast & cable television, print, etc.

About Gameasure
Interpret's Gameasure is a tracking report that provides videogame publishers, advertisers and agencies with a title measurement currency. The product measures title reach, frequency, duration, and demographics for both console and PC platforms. The data is also available through several media planning software products. The Q1 2007 report provides a measure of over 80 of the best selling games of the last year. The next report will be available in April 2007.

About Interpret
A leading new media market research firm, Interpret is focused on evaluating and measuring the intersections of content, advertising, technology and consumer behavior. Staffed by senior ex-Nielsen execs, the company provides consumer research and new media measurement solutions to the stakeholders of traditional and new media. With media consumption habits shifting radically, the company's unique insight into consumer attitudes and behavior - whether consumed on "traditional" media platforms like movie screens or TV or on "new" media platforms like video games, cell phones or digitally distributed content online - Interpret is the go-to source on new media.

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According to website CNN Money, Google Inc. is currently in negotiations to purchase Adscape Media, a San Francisco company that provides in-game advertising to many major companies. This is just another in a long line of bids by Google to buy up companies so they can stretch their advertising presence in as many types of media as they can. If the Adscape purchase goes through, it would mean that Google would be able to deliver in game ads over the internet, directly into the games. How exactly that would work, I'm not sure, but don't be surprised if you wake up one day to find a big ole' Google Billboard staring you in the face when you load up your favorite game. Flynn De Marco

Google may buy video game ad firm [CNNMoney - Thanks, Voldtaengler]

Next-Gen has an interesting interview up with the new Acclaim's CEO Howard Marks. I say the new Acclaim, because this current version of the company bears no resemblance to the one that brought us Turok and NBA Jam. This new company is all about Asian MMOs. Not only that, but Marks says they will be making most of their money off of in-game ads and virtual item sales. Sounds like a good chance we'll be reading about another Acclaim Chapter 7 in the near future. —Brian Crecente

Feature: Can Acclaim's Free Model Work? [Next-Gen]

And really, why should it? It certainly hasn't prevented folks from watching TV, reading magazines or seeing movies. Just as long as I'm not killing anyone with a Subway sandwich, I don't mind in-game ads. The key here is being subtle. What about you, Kotakuites? —Brian Ashcraft

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

In a move not particularly surprising to most, GameSpot reports that Sony Online Entertainment have announced that they will be running adverts - served by Massive Entertainment - in The Matrix Online.

These adverts for real products will sit alongside the fake adverts which are part of the scenery, and will, by all accounts, blend in, not animate or otherwise be obtrusive. A possible upside to all of this is that players may (note the may) in future run their own adverts on the network; in the meanwhile, expect to see lots of commercials for DVD boxsets and fast food, with no reduction in subscription cost. Yup, no gain to the consumer here, so far, unlike say with Anarchy Online which is ad-supported and free to play.

Me, I loathe the idea of ads in a game that I've bought which also comes with a paying subscription. For every one of me though, I'm sure there are people out there who have no problems with real-world commercial messages invading their paid-for fantasy spaces.

It's a good discussion to have: offensive or just part of everyday life? Tell us what you think...