WHAT IS ADVERGAMING AND WHAT IT IS NOT? RECAPPING BEHAVIOURAL THEORIES TO UNDERSTAND ADVERGAMING

Owing to the latest technological advancements, alternative ads based on digital technology have been increasing exponentially compared to traditional ads such as TV and newspaper ads. Advergaming utilizing online video games was recently becoming popular as a new form of advertisement. Although the marketing and communication industries make more use of advergaming every day and despite being a growing marketing platform, there is a lack of research in the marketing literature that examines the underpinning behavioural theories for advergaming implications. Accordingly, this article aims to identify fundamental consumer behaviour theories such as Social Cognitive Theory, Limited Capacity Model, Elaboration Likelihood Model etc. to understand whether advergames can positively influence players toward a particular brand. This study suggests that eight major theories from the consumer behaviour field are relevant to elaborate players' behaviour in advergames as well as providing a holistic understanding of this new media.

ADVERGAME NEDİR VE NE DEĞİLDİR? ADVERGAME’İ ANLAMAK İÇİN DAVRANIŞSAL TEORİLERİN YENİDEN ÖZETLENMESİ

Son teknolojik gelişmeler sayesinde, dijital teknolojiye dayalı alternatif reklamlar, TV, gazete reklamları gibi diğer geleneksel reklamlara kıyasla katlanarak artmaktadır. Advergaming, çevrimiçi video oyunları üzerine inşa edilmiş yeni bir reklam şekli olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Advergaming'in pazarlama ve iletişim endüstrisinde her geçen gün daha fazla kullanılmasına ve giderek büyüyen bir pazarlama platformu olmasına rağmen, pazarlama literatüründe advergaming çalışmalarını davranış teorileri kapsamında inceleyen araştırmaların yeterince olmadığı görülmektedir. Buradan hareketle bu araştırma, Sosyal Bilişsel Teori, Sınırlı Kapasite Modeli, Detaylandırma Olabilirlik Modeli vb. temel teorilere odaklanarak, advergame uygulamalarının markalara dair düşünceleri nasıl etkilediğini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu kapsamda, sekiz adet teoriye değinen bu araştırma Advergame’in bütünsel bir şekilde anlaşılmasına katkı sunmaktadır.

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