'Adver-gaming' revenue to hit $500m this year

The continued growth in the GCC's online advertising expenditure combined with increasing internet adoption rates are set to advance the development of 'adver-gaming' in the region in the near future, exposing consumers to innovative marketing messages in entertainment and gaming-oriented media contexts.

"The potential of online adver-gaming has dramatically increased over the past few years largely because of the surge in internet adoption rates and the growing popularity of the internet as a communication and advertisement medium," said Maryam Alimardani, Managing Director, Rena, a Dubai-based company that created Hyzonia.com.

Hyzonia.com enables advertisers to create and customise adver-games and run campaigns in an adver-gaming network; giving users access without the need for special platforms, high-end devices, downloads or complex installations.

"Online adver-gaming offers a cost-effective and productive advertising solution that delivers brand messages across various target segments in a more engaging and entertaining way. The key to this marketing tool is that Hyzonia.com adds interactivity and engagement to the message, facilitating the evolution of online advertising from an interrupting to an entertaining experience. What this means is that we are able to offer a powerful marketing platform for advertisers to reach their target audience via a network of easy-to-play online adver-games and monitor their audience's behaviour for better marketing analysis and information," said Alimardani.

A recent study by Madar Research revealed that online ad spend is expected to grow by 30 per cent in 2009 and 50 per cent in 2010, as advertisers take advantage of more cost-efficient and highly targeted means of advertising. Adver-gaming, which uses online games to promote brands or products and represents some of the most visited aspects of branded websites, will enable revenues to rise from $120 million (Dh441m) in 2004 to $500m in 2009, according to research from DFC Intelligence.

Hyzonia.com adver-gaming networks encompass a diverse mix of audiences with 49 per cent of users in the 18-49 age bracket, 26 per cent in the 50-above group and 25 per cent in the 18-under age bracket. Moreover, Hyzonia.com offers an interesting level of parity as 44 per cent of all users are women, with those aged 18 and older representing a third of the total population.

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