Perceptions of advergaming as an advertising tool in South Africa

Abstract

The use of games to communicate messages is not new; however the evolution of the digital environment has opened up opportunities for brand communicators to use games as a means to communicate with audiences in ways that were previously impossible. In South Africa, so-called advergaming currently does not reach a mass audience because of the low number of Internet users and the high cost of Internet access. However, as a brand communication tool, advergaming has the potential to be used as a viral marketing tactic. The article analyses the perceptions of advertising agencies about the use of advergaming in the South African context.