Videogame advertising: Institution

Remember the key types of institution behind videogame advertising:

Game developer: creates and designs game
Game publisher: manufactures the game, sells copies to retailers, pays for advertising and marketing.
Advertising agency: creates the marketing campaign for the game.
Regulator: gives the game a rating and addresses complaints or concerns. 

Complete the following tasks on your blog.

Task 1: developers and publishers

Research the following game developers/publishers:

Rockstar Games
Background: year formed and location
Owner/founder:
Most successful games:
Interesting fact about the institution:

EA (Electronic Arts)
Background: year formed and location
Owner/founder:
Most successful games:
Interesting fact about the institution:

Zynga
Background: year formed and location
Owner/founder:
Most successful games:
Interesting fact about the institution:

Nintendo
Background: year formed and location
Owner/founder:
Most successful games:
Interesting fact about the institution:

Sony Computer Entertainment
Background: year formed and location
Owner/founder:
Most successful games:
Interesting fact about the institution:


Task 2: Advertising agencies

Look at the following advertising agency websites:

W+K Amsterdam

1. What do the letters stand for? (Clue: look at the very bottom of the website)
2. What brands have W+K Amsterdam advertised?
3. In your opinion, what is the most creative campaign on their website?
4. What videogame campaigns have they created?
5. What additional information can you find out about the FIFA14 advertising campaign?

Rokkan

1. How long has the Rokkan advertising agency been around for?
2. Where is Rokkan based?
3. What brands have Rokkan advertised?
4. Why was Rokkan's campaign for the videogame 'Dishonored' so successful?
5. Who was the publisher for 'Dishonored'?

Task 3: Regulatory bodies

PEGI

Visit the PEGI website and have a look around. 

Now click on the FAQ section of the website and answer the following questions:

1. What is PEGI and where is PEGI based?
2. How does PEGI rate games?
3. What are the age classifications used by PEGI?
4. What are the seven aspects that PEGI look for when giving a game a rating (e.g. violence)?
5. What is PEGI online? What does PEGI online regulate?

ASA

Visit the Advertising Standards Authority website and have a look around. 

Now click on the About section of the ASA website and answer the following questions:

1. What is the ASA's mission?
2. What are the ASA's values?

Now click on the Rulings section of the website. This is where the ASA reports on recent complaints and whether they upheld the complaint or rejected it.

Choose one of the complaints and write the following:

1. The company that was advertising:
2. Why someone complained:
3. Whether the complaint was upheld and why:

If you complete everything in class, choose another complaint and write about what it involved and whether it was upheld. Do you agree with the ruling?

Anything you don't complete in class must be completed for homework.

Due: Friday 2 May