The Ergonomics of Designing Interactive Games User Interface as an Advertising Medium

Abstract

In a world where attracting consumer’s attention is becoming more and more difficult, and with advertisers increasingly becoming dissatisfied with the value provided by traditional media, marketers, and advertisers are forced to seek for, search and experiment with alternative and new creative channels, ways and formats of brand communication to attract and persuade their audiences. Attempting of finding new promotion methods, digital games have found a place as a promising new advertising medium. The use of digital games for other issues in addition to entertainment is undoubtedly a creative idea. With millions of users playing digital games every minute of the day, and with the high level of detailed graphics and technologies we are witnessing nowadays, digital games are a must-have advertising channel if the brand or the promoted product is looking to increase awareness and connect with consumers in a new, interactive, exciting and innovative way. Digital games can deliver brands with some of the most innovative digital ads today, such as units that can offer players creative and rich media, rewards, value exchange video advertising, custom branded opportunities, branded content, and more. All of these applications are very attractive, unlike traditional media ads that users often ignore. In addition, digital games offer many types of advertising using them, such as in-game ads, advergames, and around game advertising. Given all of the above, a significant shift occurred in designers’ and marketers’ attitudes towards digital games, as they started to consider them as a viable advertising medium in their own right. That makes it essential for advertisers and marketers to understand the medium, as well as, studying the specific rules for each game, to find the best way for integrating ads within the game without spoiling the gameplay experience. So, there are some ergonomics aspects of designing an effective digital game advertising, a user interface is needed to be taken into consideration when designing them.