Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of product placement in video games by testing participants’ brand and product memory along with three distinctive types of product presentation: associative placement, illustrative placement and demonstrative placement. Memory measures comprise explicit memory and implicit memory. The results indicated that the associative placement had a lower level of explicit memory (recall and recognition) than illustrative and demonstrative placements, while the implicit memory of associative placement was higher than illustrative and demonstrative placements. Based on these results, companies should use illustrative or demonstrative placements for new products to help consumers remember new brands and use associative placements for existing products to increase consumers’ purchase intention.

Key words: In-game advertising, consumers’ attitude, product placements, explicit memory, implicit memory, video game.