Frank McDougall
Electronic Arts’ recent release of “EA Sports College Football 25” has opened up advertising opportunities for the publisher, and Discover has seized the chance to showcase its brand within the game. With over 5 million purchases and generating more than $500 million in revenue, “College Football 25” marks Electronic Arts’ return to college football games after a long hiatus due to legal issues concerning the use of college athletes’ likenesses.
Discover, the credit card company, has partnered with EA to seamlessly integrate its branding into the game’s natural gameplay moments. From highlight lists to halftime stat graphics, Discover’s branding will be present throughout the gaming experience. Jennifer Murillo, Discover’s CMO, emphasized the alignment between college football and their brand, given their existing involvement as the official credit card sponsor of the Big 10 athletic conference.
However, this partnership also reflects Discover’s aspirations to connect with the gaming community. For the past three years, Discover has collaborated with Cxmmunity Media to host the Discover Bowl, an esports tournament for students at historically Black colleges in the US. Joining forces with “College Football 25” further supports their dedication to reaching out to gamers.
Discover measures the success of its brand integration within the game not solely based on audience reach and engagement metrics. Instead, they recognize the intangible impact of having a presence within the college football world. As Electronic Arts expands its advertising offerings, its wide portfolio of sports games serves as a valuable asset.
The goal for Discover is to maintain a non-intrusive and additive presence within “College Football 25.” They strive to avoid crossing the boundary where advertising feels disruptive to the gaming experience. Murillo’s personal experience with her sons playing the game affirmed the success of Discover’s integration, as her older son recognized Discover in the game and found it relevant, yet expected.
While seamless brand integrations are evident in EA’s sports game portfolio, expanding such advertising offerings to other game genres may pose challenges. Games like “The Sims,” “Battlefield,” or “Apex Legends” may require a different approach, as players might not respond as positively to brand placements within those contexts.
– One important question is how effective brand integration in “College Football 25” will be in reaching and engaging with the gaming community.
– Answer: Discover is partnering with EA to seamlessly integrate its branding into the game’s natural gameplay moments, aiming to maintain a non-intrusive and additive presence. The success of these integrations will be measured based on audience reach, engagement, and the intangible impact of having a presence within the college football world.
– Another key challenge is expanding advertising offerings to other game genres.
– Discover recognizes that games like “The Sims,” “Battlefield,” or “Apex Legends” may require a different approach, as players might not respond as positively to brand placements within those contexts.
– Advantages of brand integration in “College Football 25” include the opportunity to reach a large and engaged gaming community, generate brand recognition, and align with a popular sports game.
– The main disadvantage may be the potential for the advertising to feel disruptive or intrusive to the gaming experience, which could negatively impact player sentiment towards the brand.
– Suggested related link: EA Sports College Football
