Let's Play Online Shopping!

We’ve often been skeptical of whether brand placement in online games brings any value beyond the initial real-world PR blitz, but not this time. Players of The Sims 2 will be able to add Ikea furniture to their virtual homes, according to U.K.-based newspaper The Guardian.

One may wonder whether people escaping into Second Life really want real-world newspapers and clothing brands to follow them, but its pretty clear people playing The Sims, which essentially simulates the lifestyle of 20-somethings who shop at Ikea, like to equip their alter-egos with cute and vaguely cartoony furnishings. Thus players are likely to perceive the marketing effort as adding value, rather than an intrusion. 

While it helps to have a strong brand identity that players already know, this approach could also work for smaller niche retailers. But before you throw cash at the nearest game developer, keep in mind: the keys are an uncanny fit between brand and theme, and subtle and creative integration into the game play experience.