Gamers might like to see themselves as maverick rebels kicking against the system, but it seems they're still overwhelmingly influenced by traditional TV and magazine adverts.
A survey by US company Ad-ology Research (sounds scientific, doesn't it?) found that 70 per cent of gamers said their choice of game had been influenced by TV advertising, compared to 54 per cent for online video.
"Video game marketers should be careful not to write off traditional media in favour of online marketing," said C. Lee Smith, demonstrating the mastery with words that earned him (or her) the title of President and CEO of Ad-ology.
Mags power
Magazines also beat online vids, influencing over half of buyers, although less so than manufacturer's own websites, which persuaded a whopping 70 per cent to buy their licensed, sequel-tastic cyber-tat.
Just 38 per cent of gamers said online reviews had any effect on their consumer habits, while a meagre 20 per cent thought sport sponsorship encouraged them to embark on a shopping spree - probably because most of them rarely see the light of day, bless their Vitamin-D deficient hearts.
The younger the respondents, the more likely they were to be persuaded to shop by TV ads and online vids - which possibly explains why all the commercials we see on telly seem to be aimed at developmentally-challenged pre-schoolers.
