Product placement in video games as a marketing strategy: an attempt to analysis in Disney company

Abstract

Esta investigación de carácter cualitativo que se aproxima al método del caso intenta examinar la aplicación de la estrategia del product placement en el ámbito de los videojuegos a fin de identificar las diferencias en enfoques de product placement más clásicos y aquellos otros más centrado en la marca. Se ha escogido el estudio de Walt Disney, empleando tanto entrevistas con personal de la compañía, como dinámicas de grupo con usuarios de videojuegos de esta empresa. Los resultados indican que enfoques más recientes del product placement resultan más adecuados para destacar la notoriedad de la marca analizada. Adicionalmente, los consumidores opinan que este tipo de estrategia es menos intrusivo y más adecuado para el público de los niños. This qualitative case study research examined product placement strategies in video games to identify the differences in the effectiveness of traditional placement approaches compared to the branded entertainment approach, which involves the use of proprietary character in a video game. Although video gaming has increased in popularity in the past decade and uses product placement strategies, the effectiveness of the different strategies has not been previously examined. The research used a case study methodology examining the use of product placement strategies at Walt Disney with primary data obtained from interviews with Disney staffs from Disney Interactive Marketing Group and a focus group of consumers of Disney video game products. The results of the study indicated that the branded entertainment approach to product placement enhanced existing awareness of the branded character and the parent Disney brand. In addition, the consumers of the video game product perceived the branded entertainment approach as less intrusive than a traditional product placement in which a branded product was inserted into the video, audio or action content of the video game. The consumers also perceived the branded entertainment approach more suitable than traditional product placement for video games aimed at children.product placement strategies, effectiveness, qualitative study estratategias de product placement, eficacia, estudio cualitativo