Size does matter: effects of in-game advertising stimuli on brand recall and brand recognition

Rapid growth in the global gaming industry has created substantial opportunities for marketers. The potential and effectiveness of in-game advertising have attracted increasing attention from academics. Drawing on product placement literature, this study explores the influence of size (small, large), order (primacy, recency) and level of absorption (low, high) on consumer memory (brand recall and recognition) of well-known brands placed in a racing game. Using a controlled experiment, 285 participants were recruited to play the sports video game Trackmania 2 Canyon. Results indicate a positive effect of size, but order and level of absorption had no effect on brand recall and brand recognition. In particular, large size brands are recalled and recognised significantly better. Findings offer important implications for marketers in a global gaming industry that is steadily growing.