IGA Worldwide Wins Exclusive, Multi Year Dynamic In Game Advertising Agreement For FIA GT and WTCC Racing Titles

T-Mobile plays with six figure in-game advertising spend for ‘Mates Rates’

Leading in-game advertising group IGA Worldwide, Inc. has been engaged by T-Mobile and incumbent media agency MediaCom for a significant six-figure spend to push its ‘Mates Rates’ pay-as-you-go tariff to gamers in the 15-24 age group.

IGA was selected for its unique ‘through the line’ approach to the exciting and rapidly developing in-game advertising medium, providing T-Mobile with a comprehensive integrated solution encompassing a targeted dynamic virtual billboard campaign as well as bespoke activity including an incentivised ‘skill challenge’ viral game sent to more than 100,000 consumers.

IGA’s wholly-owned creative and strategic communications agency, Hive Partners, worked closely with both MediaCom and Saatchi & Saatchi throughout the brief, guiding the repurposing of existing outdoor creative to provide contextually targeted ‘game tips’ as well as planning the campaign roll-out across titles within IGA’s proprietary in-game ad serving network, Radial.

“We’re excited to be working with IGA and Hive,” says Gareth Jones, advertising campaign manager at T-Mobile. “Video gaming is where our core audience is spending an increasing amount of time and we feel that campaigns which give us reach into this platform will provide significant return for our marketing spend.”

Hive is also conducting extensive pre-and-post campaign analysis to complement the Radial Network reporting system, which provides real-time campaign data to ensure accurate monitoring and repurposing of spend to maximize the overall effectiveness.

The brand’s presence in-game is already showing signs of success, with T-Mobile proving to be the leading mobile service provider amongst gamers of this age.

“As a product of a maturing entertainment medium, in-game advertising can now hold its own on any media schedule particularly with the high-reach, high accountability possible via the Radial Network,” said Justin Townsend, CEO of IGA Worldwide. “Add to this Hive’s unique multi-faceted approach to this space where context is king, and it is clear that we have a compelling solution for forward thinking brands such as T-Mobile.”

Julian Ireland, European communications director at Hive Partners, added: “Essentially, we are the guardians of both the game IP and of the brands entering this new space. Advertisers expect a highly polished and relevant strategic approach, and gamers expect to see ad content appropriate to the gaming environment and their local market. The way we interrogate the games within our network and then deliver contextual brand solutions continues to set us apart in the market.”

Media spend for in-game advertising is forecast to grow by over 40% in 2006 according to Jack Myers’ Media Business Report 2006 Marketing and Advertising Spending Forecast, compared with 27% in the next fastest growth sector, online advertising.

For further information please visit:
 www.igaworldwide.com/www.hivepartners.com

About IGA Worldwide, Inc. (www.igaworldwide.com)

IGA Worldwide, Inc. is the global leader in unique 360-degree in-game advertising solutions, helping brands to understand and exploit the rich and diverse opportunities available now and in the future. Its proprietary ad serving network, Radial, enables advertisers to target millions of engaged consumers across a wide range of platforms and genres whilst they play. It also provides strategic consulting services including integrated product placement and co-promotion through its wholly-owned communications consultancy, Hive Partners. Headquartered in New York with offices in London and Berlin, the group is backed by Easton Capital Group, Morgenthaler Ventures and DN Capital.

For further press information please contact:
Helen Cleaves or Drew Benvie at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626    Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627
Email: helenc/drewb@lewispr.com
Website: www.lewispr.com

For sales enquiries, please contact:
Tom Hosking
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7725 4996
Email: tom.hosking@ingameadvertising.com
Website: www.igaworldwide.com

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