Advertising in Digital Games: A Review from the Perspective of Children and Parents

Year 2020, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 1241 - 1261, 24.07.2020

Burçe Akcan , Arzu Kazaz

https://doi.org/10.17680/erciyesiletisim.706046

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The problem of this study, which is based on understanding the interactions of children with the brands in digital games, is to understand children’s recognition of the brands in digital games with the variables of the type of advertisement, in-game factors and screen time. In this qualitative study, a two-session focus group interview was conducted with the children and their mothers separately. Children are important for this study due to their age, because on the one hand, they go through the consumer socialization process, and on the other hand, since they do not have the ability to separate media content from commercial content, they are exposed to ads. As a result of the study, it is observed that parents were in conflict with their children regarding screen time management and they interfere with their children’s screen time. However, a significant part of the parents is not aware of the ads in digital games and do not consider in-game advertising as a risk factor for their children. Additionally, it is seen that the high prevalence of unhealthy food advertisements in digital games causes children to make unreasonable demands and this is considered as a serious issue in a process they learn to be a consumer.

Keywords

Advertising, In-Game Advertising, Children, Zula, Brand Awareness

Dijital Oyunlarda Reklam: Çocuk ve Ebeveyn Perspektifinden Bir İnceleme

Abstract

Çocukların dijital oyunlarda yer alan markalarla etkileşimlerini anlamak üzerine kurgulanmış olan bu çalışmanın problemi dijital oyunlarda yer alan markaların çocuklar tarafından tanınma durumlarının reklam türü, oyun içi faktörler ve ekran süresi değişkenleriyle anlaşılmasıdır. Nitel bir tasarıma sahip bu çalışmada iki oturumlu odak görüşme yapılarak çocuklarla ayrı anneleriyle ayrı görüşme yapılmıştır. Çocuklar, yaşları itibariyle bir taraftan tüketici toplumsallaşma sürecinden geçmeleri diğer taraftan medya içeriğini ticari içerikten ayırma becerisine sahip olmadıklarından reklamlar karşısında korunmasız konumda bulunmaları gerekçeleri itibariyle bu çalışma için önem arz etmektedir. Çalışma neticesinde örneklem alınan Zula ’da önemli bir bölümü gıda markalarını içeren çok sayıda oyuniçi reklam olduğu gözlenmiştir. Çalışmaya katılan ebeveynlerin çocukları ile ekran süresi yönetmi hususunda çatışma yaşadığı ve ekran süresine müdahale ettikleri görülmektedir. Buna ek olarak, sağlıksız gıda ürünlerine ait reklamların oyun içerisinde yaygın şekilde bulunmasının çocukların akli olmayan taleplerde bulunmasına neden olduğu görülmektedir ve bu durum çocukların tüketici olmayı öğrendikleri bir süreçte oldukça ciddi bir meseledir.

Keywords

Dijital Oyun, Oyun-İçi Reklam, Çocuklar, Zula, Marka Farkındalığı

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