Nielsen Wire » EA Sports

Appeal of Tiger Woods Extends to Video Game World

Nielsen Wire — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:01:35 +0000

When it comes to golf’s U.S. Open, it’s no secret the role Tiger Woods plays in television ratings, but one advertiser in particular may be cheering hardest for the defending champion. EASports, the maker of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, has been prevalent so far in this year’s tournament, sponsoring hole flyovers during the broadcast, and placing banner ads on the online stream of the tournament. According to Nielsen’s Video Game Tracking survey, the franchise has grown steadily in both awareness and purchase intent, as evidenced by comparing these metrics in the week each title was released. EA is no doubt hoping Woods makes a strong showing over the weekend.

Gender Dynamics the Key for EA Sports Active

Nielsen Wire — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:41:25 +0000

Electronic Arts enters into fitness gaming this week with the release of EA Sports Active for the Nintendo Wii. The game features a range of fitness activities plus mini-games that focus on specific sports like in-line skating and basketball. Generally, EA Sports is a brand synonymous with male-skewing sports franchises like Madden, but as apparent from the box art, the title is being marketed more to women. So how do men and women compare in terms of key purchase metrics for the title?

Based on Nielsen Video Game Tracking data from last week, males have slightly higher purchase interest for the title (27% vs. 21%) but a larger percentage of females rank it as their first choice title to buy (4% vs. 1%). Overall, the title is well above norms in awareness and purchase interest compared to a database of titles, but the gender differences on these metrics highlight the unique task facing EA as it begins to roll out its marketing campaign. Fitness games may appeal more to females (the first choice comparison) but the EA Sports brand may have a built in following among males (the purchase interest comparison). It will be interesting to see how these gender dynamics play out in the marketing and success of the title.

“Madden” Video Games Take Marketing Into 21st Century

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:06:36 +0000

At 70 million copies sold — and counting, since its release in 1988, “Madden NFL Football” is the most popular sports video game of all time.

What’s driving the wild success of EA Sports’ star product?

A marketing vision that combines a deep understanding of the game’s core fan base with an innovative, “three-screen” strategy that leverages TV, online, and mobile phone outlets for the game, Matt Foran of Nielsen Sports, writes in the November issue of Nielsen’s “Consumer Insight” online newsletter.

Thanks to websites like Xbox Live, “Madden” gamers can head online to play with friends and anonymous fans across the country — making the game a communal experience, Foran notes.

“Madden” is also one of the top ten mobile game downloads: 142,000 mobile users downloaded the game in July 2008, paying an average of $4.34 for the game, according to Nielsen’s latest Mobile Games Report.

Not surprisingly, the mobile version of “Madden NFL 2008″ skews heavily male. In Q2 2008, 78% of the game’s downloaders were male. However, Foran notes, the game also skews more middle age than the overall mobile gaming population: 44% of “Madden NFL ‘08″ downloaders were between the ages of 45 and 64. In comparison, just 21% of the overall mobile gaming audience falls within that age group.

And because video gamers are avid football fans (in 2008, NFL games have drawn 44% higher TV ratings among households with video game consoles than those without, according to Nielsen), EA Sports expanded the “Madden” franchise into TV.

The company partnered with ESPN to create “Madden Nation,” a “Survivor”-esque reality show airing on ESPN2, Foran notes. The show, which draws an average of 300,000 viewers each week, has come up with innovative ways to integrate cross promotions of NFL teams and sports apparel.

“Madden” has also found success with other ESPN programs, such as “Sunday Countdown” and “Monday Night Countdown,” Foran notes. The programs regularly feature “EA Sports Virtual Playbook” segments, in which ESPN analysts diagram the plays using the “Madden” video game with super imposed graphics.

The takeaway for marketers?

Follow the “Madden” marketing team’s lead: a strong presence across multiple media platforms and a commitment to authenticity are essential for reaching increasingly empowered 21st Century consumers.

Read the full article.

View the latest issue of “Consumer Insight.”