What is In-Game Placements?
Real brands are embedded inside game worlds, so you encounter them repeatedly in enjoyable, low-suspicion contexts.
Where it comes from
3D Online Gaming (2000s)
How it hooks you
Exploits context: advertising embedded in play does not trigger the skepticism people bring to obvious commercials.
What the research shows
Experiments show in-game brand placements raise purchase intentions by blending seamlessly into enjoyable play.
Source: Radesky et al., 'Digital Advertising to Children', AAP Policy Statement, Pediatrics (2020)
How to resist it
When you notice a brand in a game, ask whether it is there for realism or because someone paid for the space.