BRANDS TO ENGAGE 50M+ CONSUMERS THROUGH VIDEO GAMES
Leading Interactive Branded Content Agency Hive Partners Reveals Year One Figures And Forecasts Massive Sector Growth
Friday 24 September 2004/... Having recently celebrated its first full year of trading, interactive branded content specialist agency Hive Partners has revealed that it has reached over four million consumers with its unique flavour of integrated branding and product placement, generating a direct media spend of over a quarter of a million pounds.
Rather than simply selling media space in videogames, Hive works closely in a creative and strategic capacity with both brands and the game developers and publishers to integrate products in a way that enhances visibility in a compelling and contextually relevant manner, for example as part of a storyline or gameplay mechanic.
And as Hive Partners enters its second year it can reveal that, with its current portfolio of represented titles reaching more than 18 months ahead, it expects to reach almost fifty million consumers and generate media spend in excess of £1.5 million during that time.
Having previously developed dynamic product integrations within titles from game industry giants such as Sega and Vivendi Universal Games, the company now boasts an impressive list of publisher, brand and media partners, and strong backing and growth into 2005.
"Hive Partners has always been about more than simply putting advertising into games, and we have been extremely pleased with the reaction to our strategy and methods from not only brands and game publishers, but critically the consumers and specialist media," says Ed Bartlett, CEO, Hive Partners.
"It's no secret that brands are increasingly diverting media spend into newer and more engaging mediums, and videogames now offer one of the most dynamic solutions with its huge penetration, valuable core demographic and an unrivalled range of rich and exciting subject matter."
He continued: "Aligning with games offers a guaranteed captive audience and an instant positive association with innovation and fun. Placements can be used as an integral part of real-world activity or simply as a stand-alone piece of communication targeting an increasingly elusive audience."
Concluding: "You only have to look at the growth and activity in this sector over the past three months to know it's going to be huge."
Hive Partners have recently re-launched their website, which can be visited at http://www.hivepartners.com