online games - Internet Marketing News and Blogs

It seems that every day we read about the declining effectiveness of advertising. How viewers skip through the adverts, can switch off to the marketing noise, no longer respond to our messages.

Brands are increasingly looking at more diverse ways to engage consumers in their products, and I believe there is currently no better opportunity than the Nintendo Wii.

Doritos, the tortilla corn crisp brand owned by PepsiCo, has launched a new online campaign to engage users with an interactive website, user generated content and strong links to social networking sites.

Historically, FMCG brands have been slow to embrace online marketing as they have struggled to deliver a compelling creative message and measure the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Last year, Channel 4 Education announced it was ditching much of its TV output and devoting its £6m budget to “high risk” cross-platform projects that could more effectively engage youngsters.

With more and more teenagers spurning traditional media, we asked the broadcaster’s commissioning editor Matt Locke about how it is planning to reach them through digital services.

He tells us if production houses are ready to fulfill its objectives and how Channel 4 is rethinking its focus towards metrics and measurement. Amen to that.

There were quite a few news stories this past week that piqued my interest.

From a study revealing that the most avid clickers of online ads aren't members of the most desirable demographic groups to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's admission that the US economic landscape is increasingly bleak, the diversity of the week's news was enjoyable.

Brands have increasingly been creating their own consumer-oriented online properties to promote their brands while building a deeper connection with consumers.

From Wal-Mart's failed social network to Coke's virtual world, I've often wondered if brands haven't been a little to eager to jump on the hype train before asking themselves: "Where exactly are we going?"

Microsoft’s Xbox Live may have surpassed the 10m user milestone but this is no time for ebullient press releases from the Redmond-based giant. Since Christmas, playing Xbox Live online has been nothing short of a nightmare.

Microsoft has totally failed to manage user expectations, to accommodate new Xbox users, and to cater for the spikes that were bound to appear over the holiday period. It’s a pity, since the Xbox Live experience, when it works, is nothing short of sensational, and should get better and better.

Virgin has closed Virgin Bets, its sports betting service, less than a year after it launched.

In a notice, Virgin says the site will be shut down for the short term and ultimately replaced by a "new and improved betting product".

Microsoft plans to add a new social networking option to its Xbox Live platform, by allowing users of the service to connect with friends of friends.

The Dashboard Update will be introduced on December 4, to allow gamers to find friends, send messages and invites, and to compare games.

All of which prompts the question: Is Microsoft trying to become 'the new Facebook'?

Microsoft's Xbox 360 has overtaken the Wii as the most searched for games console in the US, according to figures from Hitwise.

The research group's Bill Tancer said the increase in searches was down to a combination of factors - hype about new games, rumours of a drop in prices, as well as 'red ring of death' issues.

Online payment processor Neteller has struck a deal with US authorities that will see the firm forfeit $136m (£66m) to avoid a prosecution related to its handling of online gambling proceeds.

The two founders of Neteller, Stephen Lawrence and John Lefebvre, were charged with conspiracy back in January as it was being used by US citizens to place bets through foreign-based internet gambling sites.