Nielsen To Measure Game Ads

Nielsen Interactive, a unit of VNU's Nielsen Entertainment division, yesterday announced it will provide third-party measurement and accountability for advertising on the in-game ad serving network Massive Incorporated. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Michael Dowling, general manager of Nielsen Interactive, told reporters in a conference call that the deal with Massive will let advertisers plan video game campaigns as they do with television and other media. By auditing consumer interaction with video game ads, Dowling said Nielsen will be able to provide data on the aggregate reach of in-game ads, and create a general profile on game audiences in the Massive network. Nielsen expects the first set of standards to be ready by the second quarter of 2005.

The audience measurement firm also has a video game measurement relationship with Activision, a prominent video game publisher. Dowling said the deal with Massive is an extension of its deal with Activision.

Executives in the video game advertising community applauded the move, saying it will help establish video games as a valid advertising medium more quickly.

"Everyone knows this industry is going to happen," said Darren Herman, founder and CEO of inGamePartners, a video game ad serving network and Massive rival. "The major issue is timing," he said, adding that bringing in a major player like Nielsen will bring the market credibility, and facilitate the growth process.

Herman said he expects it will take "one or two quarters" for the major brands to locate the budget for in-game advertising. He emphasized the importance of keeping the metrics as similar as possible to other media. "A common language is the easiest thing to adopt," he said. "One thing they can't get caught up in is interactive--this is not about click-through rates."

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