2. Institutions

One method EA games has adapted to increase profit from games is to include dynamic advertisements in game. This basically means on billboards placed throughout the levels there are adverts for products from different companies. EA gets paid to host these adverts in the game thus increasing their profit from the game. An example of what this looks like in game can be seen below:


Sony, makers of the PSP, tried a viral market campaign to advertise their product. However it raised issues among the public and people at whom this advert was targeted. The advert consisted of kids using a PSP as several different objects including a skateboard, a paddle and an ice cream. These images were then spray painted on the side of buildings around various US cities.


People expressed their hate for them with their own graffiti on top.

Caption sprayed in this image reads,

Advertising directed at your counter-culture.

Read the whole article here.

Another article about another viral marketing scheme for the Sony’s PSP which received bad reception as well.