Monthly Matters is a monthly review of marketing news in the world of entertainment. The October 2006 issue largely focuses on the evolution of in-game advertising; however, of note was the 2006 October Mixer of the San Diego Chapter of the International Game Developers Association, obstacles in the development of serious games, and High Moon Studios’ Hallowe’en costumes.

• Closing in on two business degrees, this semester I was required to enroll in Introduction to Business. The textbook describes brands as tangible items, such as names and logos. Since this is an introductory course, I realized that most people probably accept this common refrain. I argue that brands are products of perception. They are cultivated in the human mind. Names and logos are merely elements of the overall identity. Brands consist of far more than what you see.
• On the prowl, in-game advertising migrators are extending their reach into mobile, casual, and sports games as well as gambling.
• Early this month, Double Fusion was contracted to provide services for massively multiplayer online games PowerFootball and ManagerZone. Double Fusion also contracted with Playwize to advertise in the online PC game Pokerwize.
• Greystripe received US$1.2 million Series A funding for development of the AdWRAP technology used in conjunction with GameJump.com, part of the Greystripe ad network.
• Exent partnered with developer and publisher Alawar to provide services and received worldwide rights to advertise using Alawar’s extensive catalog of casual games.
• Controversy arised in regards to IGA Worldwide’s technology used for popular title Battlefield 2142. Gamers speculated about the possibility of spyware. This resulted in quick reaction from IGA Worldwide CEO Justin Townsend who was interviewed by Gamasutra. Justin outlines the why, what, and how of the data captured to support ad performance analyses.
• October Mixer 2006 — a social gathering of industry professionals organized by the San Diego Chapter of the International Game Developers Association — was an incredible success. Of the 25 people who registered to attend, 92% were in attendance at Pizza Port in Carlsbad, nearly double the attendees we received in August. Noel Llopis and I spoke at length about his experiences as an author and the effort necessary to write a book. Becoming an author has long been an aspiration of mine.
• Serious games are growing in popularity with more support from various industries. A recent article published by Gamasutra, Inside the Army Game, details the extent of the United States Department of Defense’s involvement in this sector. Being a strong supporter of serious games, I’m always on the lookout for people who want to talk about serious games as part of a lecture or panel organized by the San Diego Chapter of the International Game Developers Association.
• Since today’s Hallowe’en, I might as well mention that High Moon Studios announced in mid-October the design and manufacturing of high-quality costumes based on the vampire-western video game, Darkwatch. That’s one way to infiltrate the public consciousness. I’m curious about the possibility of a movie deal now.