RevisionThe promotion and marketing of video games

Case Studies

• Just Dance 4• Red Dead Redemption• GTAIV and V• Call of Duty: Black Ops II• Angry Birds Go!

• Plus any other video game marketing that you know about – or find out about.

• Consider your own research.

Revision areas• When? • What • How? • Where - which platform(s)?

Marketing strategies

• Audience theory• Narrative theory• Marketing theoryTheory

• Theory terms• Marketing terms• Technical Terms for productionKey Terminology

• Just Dance 4• Red Dead Redemption• GTAIV and V• Call of Duty: Black Ops II• Angry Birds Go!

Case Study Examples

Marketing strategies

• Using the A3 sheet, identify which different strategies could be used at each point in the promotion and marketing campaign. • For each point, identify three examples from three different campaigns which you

could write about in your exam answer

• Campaigns could include: • Just Dance 4• Red Dead Redemption• GTAIV and V• Call of Duty: Black Ops II• Angry Birds Go!

• Or any other video game promotion campaign

TheoriesMedia Studies Revision

Narrative theories

• You can use narrative theories to make sense of how a story is used to hook and interest the audience• This could be the storyline of a video game itself, promoted in the

marketing campaign• It could be the storyline used in a trailer• Narratives can even be found in still images

Three Narrative theories

Todorov: equilibrium

theory

Narrative starts in a balanced state (equilibrium)

An event disturbs that balance

(disequilibrium)

The story finished with a new balanced state

(new equilibrium)

Levi Strauss: binary

oppositions

Narratives happen when two opposed

ideas, forces or concepts come into

conflict

The conflict between the two opposites

creates events in the narrative

The resolution of the opposition ends the narrative (when one

side wins?)

Barthes: enigma codes

Narratives set up puzzles which

audiences engage with to try to find the

solutions

For example: “What’s that?”

“Who is there?”“What is going to

happen next?”

Applying narrative theory

Audience Theories

Richard Dyer’s Utopian

Solutions

Media texts present a world which is

bigger, better, brighter, bolder than

our own

This world offers escapism from our

dull reality

It enables players to be more/better than

they are in reality

Uses and Gratifications

theory

Audiences seek out media texts which fulfil their needs

These needs can be practical (uses) or

emotional (gratifications)

Emotional needs include the need for company, success,

power, joy etc.

Two-step flow theory

Audience opinions are formed by

opinion leaders

Opinion leaders include the press,

websites and influential people

Marketing often aims to influence

opinion leaders for the effect they have

on others

Applying audience theory

Audience Terms

• The “general public” including casual gamersMass audience

• Specific groups i.e. racing game fans, usually incorporating “serious” gamersNiche audience

• The main audience focus of a campaignPrimary audience

• A subsidiary audience also catered for in a campaignSecondary audience

Applying audience terms

Marketing terms

• Marketing broadcast to a mass audienceAbove the line marketing (ATL)

• Marketing targeted at a specific audience, often personalisedBelow the line marketing (BTL)

• A campaign incorporating ATL and BTL marketingThrough the line marketing (TTL)

• Traditional campaigns including trailers, posters etc.Direct Marketing

• Modern campaigns including publicity stunts, viral and guerrilla campaignsIndirect Marketing

Viral and Guerrilla Marketing

Viral marketing

• Harnesses the power of social media• Aims to promote sharing, liking and

linking• Usually striking, funny or innovative• E.g. Flappy Bird mostly virally

marketed• Linked theory: two-step flow• Linked terms: below the line, indirect

marketing

Guerrilla Marketing

• Marketing which appears by surprise• Often doesn’t look like an advert• Can be online or IRL “events” such as

flashmobs, publicity stunts• Can also go viral! • E.g. Just Dance, GTA• Linked to two-step flow, BTL and

indirect marketing

Trailers

• What are the conventions of video game trailers?

Revising your case studies

• Complete a case study revision template IN YOUR BOOKS for each of the case study video games: • Just Dance 4• Red Dead Redemption• Angry Birds Go!• Call of Duty: Black Ops II• GTA series (focus on GTA IV and V)• Any others?

• If you don’t know…FIND OUT!