History: Obama first to advertise in games

Having led the way through an unprecedented online social networking strategy, the Obama campaign can now claim another first: the first major Presidential campaign to advertise in games.

Obama advertising has been appearing in the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise. The ads appear on billboards within the game, as shown in the picture right.

Advertising in these games is delivered through the online component of the game. Although each game must have a local copy, the online game play allows for dynamic changing of game components, including scenery.

I’m not sure exactly how effective these ads are, particularly in a car racing game where you zoom past most fixed points. But maybe that’s not important, because it’s a branding and awareness exercise, and even if the full content of the ad isn’t taken in, the name and image might be.

(via GigaOm)