LM Comment: Note the demographic ... now you know another thing that your guest's are doing with their non-gambling leisure time.
Amazon Expands Into Casual Videogames
February 4, 2009: The Wall Street Journal -- Amazon.com Inc. entered the casual videogames market, expanding the Internet company's digital distribution business into a growing entertainment genre.
Casual games are simple games like card or word games that typically don't require a long-term commitment or special skills to play.
Casual games tend to attract an older and more female user base. While some videogame makers have been struggling in the recession, the casual category has thrived.
Amazon faces competition in casual games from companies including Big Fish Games and Yahoo Inc., but thinks it will gain an edge from its existing relationships with customers. "Our customers are used to a very trusted shopping experience. We felt that was something we could bring to the casual gaming space," said Mr. Hart.
Full story at: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=agiyfxcab.0.0.o7uw4wcab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fcfpcjy&id=preview
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
More Web Ads Improve Their Aim
February 5, 2009: The Wall Street Journal -- As marketers scale back their budgets, some new technologies that make it easier for marketers to track the impact of their online advertising are gaining ground.
Products based on these technologies -- such as customized ads that show different products to different users, Web ads hidden inside links in text, and online coupons -- are part of what is called "performance-driven advertising." That's because the products aim to improve and more precisely measure how a particular ad performs.
Companies like Choicestream, Yahoo and Teracent hope to steal some thunder from search advertising, which remains one of the biggest and fastest-growing ad formats. Since search ads are related to what a person is searching for on the Web, consumers often find them more relevant than other ads, and advertisers typically find them more cost effective.
But as budgets tighten, other formats that can prove they are worth their price are gaining momentum too. Coupons Inc., which makes software to help companies create and distribute online coupons, is among the companies that are benefiting. It has seen a recent surge in interest from advertisers looking for more cost-effective online marketing options, says CEO Steven Boal. Mr. Boal says the company expects to issue $1 billion in coupons this year, up from $300 million last year, and is drawing new customers who appreciate that they pay for the service only when a consumer prints out a coupon.
The new ad formats are winning over some big marketers. Over the past year, auto maker Chrysler, whose brands include Dodge and Jeep, has shifted its online-ad spending away from lifestyle sites to sites, such as Edmunds.com, that are geared toward consumers who are in the market for a car, as well as toward performance-driven products like Vibrant's in-text ads. Chrysler is also continuing to spend on search ads, says Chuck Sullivan, director of interactive at Chrysler.
"The good news about the performance-based media is that it's very easy to track, and we are able to see what works and what doesn't work," Mr. Sullivan says.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/c36scn
Products based on these technologies -- such as customized ads that show different products to different users, Web ads hidden inside links in text, and online coupons -- are part of what is called "performance-driven advertising." That's because the products aim to improve and more precisely measure how a particular ad performs.
Companies like Choicestream, Yahoo and Teracent hope to steal some thunder from search advertising, which remains one of the biggest and fastest-growing ad formats. Since search ads are related to what a person is searching for on the Web, consumers often find them more relevant than other ads, and advertisers typically find them more cost effective.
But as budgets tighten, other formats that can prove they are worth their price are gaining momentum too. Coupons Inc., which makes software to help companies create and distribute online coupons, is among the companies that are benefiting. It has seen a recent surge in interest from advertisers looking for more cost-effective online marketing options, says CEO Steven Boal. Mr. Boal says the company expects to issue $1 billion in coupons this year, up from $300 million last year, and is drawing new customers who appreciate that they pay for the service only when a consumer prints out a coupon.
The new ad formats are winning over some big marketers. Over the past year, auto maker Chrysler, whose brands include Dodge and Jeep, has shifted its online-ad spending away from lifestyle sites to sites, such as Edmunds.com, that are geared toward consumers who are in the market for a car, as well as toward performance-driven products like Vibrant's in-text ads. Chrysler is also continuing to spend on search ads, says Chuck Sullivan, director of interactive at Chrysler.
"The good news about the performance-based media is that it's very easy to track, and we are able to see what works and what doesn't work," Mr. Sullivan says.
Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/c36scn
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Game On! Online Game Play Surges as Gamers Seek Out Free Alternatives in Tight Economy
Minutes Spent Playing Online Games Jumps 42 Percent versus Year Ago
January 28, 2009 - comScore, Inc. a leader in measuring the digital world, today released an analysis of Americans' usage of online gaming sites, which showed that the category has grown 27 percent during the past year to 86 million visitors in December 2008, while the total time spent playing online games has jumped 42 percent. Americans' total share of Internet time spent playing online games grew from 3.7 percent in December 2007 to 4.9 percent in December 2008.
Yahoo! Games ranked as the most visited site in the category with 19.5 million visitors (up 20 percent), followed by EA Online with 15.4 million visitors (up 21 percent), and Disney Games with 13.4 million visitors (up 13 percent). The tenth most visited site, Spil Games, saw traffic surge 269 percent to 6.7 million visitors.
"It appears that online, ad-supported gaming is one of the activities that has benefited during this economic downturn," said Edward Hunter, comScore director of gaming solutions. "Not only have consumers turned to outlets such as gaming to take their minds off the economy, but as they curtail their discretionary gaming-related purchases they are turning to free alternatives."
Full story at: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=fcs8dxcab.0.0.o7uw4wcab.0&ts=S0384&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comscore.com%2Fpress%2Frelease.asp%3Fpress%3D2706&id=preview
January 28, 2009 - comScore, Inc. a leader in measuring the digital world, today released an analysis of Americans' usage of online gaming sites, which showed that the category has grown 27 percent during the past year to 86 million visitors in December 2008, while the total time spent playing online games has jumped 42 percent. Americans' total share of Internet time spent playing online games grew from 3.7 percent in December 2007 to 4.9 percent in December 2008.
Yahoo! Games ranked as the most visited site in the category with 19.5 million visitors (up 20 percent), followed by EA Online with 15.4 million visitors (up 21 percent), and Disney Games with 13.4 million visitors (up 13 percent). The tenth most visited site, Spil Games, saw traffic surge 269 percent to 6.7 million visitors.
"It appears that online, ad-supported gaming is one of the activities that has benefited during this economic downturn," said Edward Hunter, comScore director of gaming solutions. "Not only have consumers turned to outlets such as gaming to take their minds off the economy, but as they curtail their discretionary gaming-related purchases they are turning to free alternatives."
Full story at: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=fcs8dxcab.0.0.o7uw4wcab.0&ts=S0384&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comscore.com%2Fpress%2Frelease.asp%3Fpress%3D2706&id=preview
Generations Online in 2009
January 28, 2009: from Pew Internet & American Life Project -- Contrary to the image of Generation Y as the "Net Generation," internet users in their twenties do not dominate every aspect of online life. Generation X is the most likely group to bank, shop and look for health information online. Boomers are just as likely as Generation Y to make travel reservations online. And even Silent Generation internet users are competitive when it comes to email (although teens might point out that this is proof that email is for old people).
The biggest increase in internet use since 2005 can be seen in the 70-75 year-old age group. While just over one-fourth (26%) of 70-75 year olds were online in 2005, 45% of that age group is currently online.
A few online activities previously dominated by either older generations or younger generations are now being done more equally across all generations under 73 years old. One such activity is downloading videos, an activity that in 2005 was significantly more popular with teens and Generation Y than with any other generation. Generation X is catching up, as 31% of that generation claim to download videos as of 2007, compared with 38% of Generation Y. Generations on the oldest end of the spectrum also became significantly more likely than they had been two years before to download videos. Some 13% of G.I. Generation internet users (age 73+) reported downloading videos, up from 1% in 2005, and another 13% of the online Silent Generation (ages 64-72) say they download videos, up from 8% in 2005.
Full story at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1093/generations-online
The biggest increase in internet use since 2005 can be seen in the 70-75 year-old age group. While just over one-fourth (26%) of 70-75 year olds were online in 2005, 45% of that age group is currently online.
A few online activities previously dominated by either older generations or younger generations are now being done more equally across all generations under 73 years old. One such activity is downloading videos, an activity that in 2005 was significantly more popular with teens and Generation Y than with any other generation. Generation X is catching up, as 31% of that generation claim to download videos as of 2007, compared with 38% of Generation Y. Generations on the oldest end of the spectrum also became significantly more likely than they had been two years before to download videos. Some 13% of G.I. Generation internet users (age 73+) reported downloading videos, up from 1% in 2005, and another 13% of the online Silent Generation (ages 64-72) say they download videos, up from 8% in 2005.
Full story at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1093/generations-online
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