Scottish government to insert ads in video games

The Scottish government announced today that it would be paying to insert advertisements discouraging drinking and driving into video games on the Xbox 360.

The $20,000 USD trial project will see the advertisements appearing on virtual billboards in the games. The games, appearing on the 360, will be "Need for Speed: Carbon," "Project Gotham Racing 4" and "NBA Live."

Scottish transport minister Stewart Stevenson said that "road accidents" were increasing and that innovative approaches are needed to reach the youth population. The government estimates that 73 percent of Britain's 15- to 24-year-olds have access to a gaming console at home.

"The technology is non-intrusive, subtle, but the message can be seen in the background, loud and clear," Stevenson said.

Officials expressed that if the trial was successful, the program would be expanded to include other road safety messages.

The trial is not the first example of a government targeting young Britons with in-game ads. In October, GCHQ, the intelligence agency said it was seeking out new recruits placing job ads in games such as "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent."

Source:
Yahoo

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 24 Dec 2007 15:53

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27 comments

TBandit

lol who da hell actually read da damn billboards in some of deez games

24.12.2007 15:56 #1

newcloud

i no its for a good cause but put the into game might be a good idea
but when your playing need for speed or gta your driven very fast
and that would defeat the reason of having them

24.12.2007 16:42 #2

tripplite

thats stupid, just stupid
Scotland is now a third world country in my books, although am sure the U.S does this to,.............. communists!!!!!!!!!!!

24.12.2007 16:44 #3

B2D327

Well, if they're going to pay for advertising I believe that should make the games a little more inexpensive for the consumers. Shouldn't it?

24.12.2007 16:55 #4

badkrma

B2D327 ... I like the way you think there. And I also have to agree with TBandit. Just how do you read those billboards in games especially when it is a fast racing game. Basketball I can see it working but after about the 5th time seeing the billboard people are going to get upset. It is bad enough sometimes when they play the same commercials right after the other when you are watching your fav show. As far as doing something for the public good, I agree with the motto, anything you do is a good thing, but in this case, I'm not interested.
Public good should start where all things should start, at home with the parents. Only parents can change things for the better or worse by either giving up on their child or changing how their child understands the world and their part in it.
Government involvement is the easy way to allow someone else to do what you should have done in the first place.

24.12.2007 17:20 #5

vinny13

Oh good it's not on the PS3 =)

24.12.2007 17:24 #6

Moomoo2

I could care less? It doesn't affect gameplay, right? It's far less intrusive than, say, the 10 minutes of commercials during a 30 minute TV show or the 20 minutes of often crappy previews before a movie at the cinema. It's more like... Posters are the sides of buses, or maybe in magazines. No big deal.

...Not that I play those games anyways...

PS: Anyone remember what game it was that had bottles of Bawls on the floor in some apartment? That was funny XD

24.12.2007 18:19 #7

svtstang

Originally posted by TBandit: lol who da hell actually read da damn billboards in some of deez gamesBased on your nonsensical post, you are one of the people they are hoping to affect. Do the world a favor and learn English. Thanks.

25.12.2007 00:03 #8

windsong

Originally posted by Moomoo2: I could care less? It doesn't affect gameplay, right?Heh, yeah..you say that NOW. Wait to see what it is like 4 yrs from now.
Minority Report.

Slippery slope and all that.

25.12.2007 02:06 #9

cleverick

Quote:Originally posted by TBandit: lol who da hell actually read da damn billboards in some of deez gamesBased on your nonsensical post, you are one of the people they are hoping to affect. Do the world a favor and learn English. Thanks. This kid can read and write perfect english. It is slang. You do the world a favor and leave the youth of the nation alone and be their own. If it is slang they want to type, then so be it. Besides, who is going to read DA damn billboards in some of DEEZ games anyway?

25.12.2007 03:04 #10

SDF_GR

If no one reads BB in racing games. then all this sponsors for example to Gran Turismo are stupid? I dont think so.
There is no way to play Gran Turismo and not see the BB.
Is for good cause and from 1 million if only 1 reads it, that is something and a life can be saved.
So why not?

25.12.2007 11:49 #11

saltynuts

Originally posted by vinny13: Oh good it's not on the PS3 =)
Yeah neither is anything eles.

25.12.2007 13:12 #12

Sir-Age

Originally posted by SDF_GR: Is for good cause and from 1 million if only 1 reads it, that is something and a life can be saved.
So why not?
Agree with you 100%.
Even if it saves one life, its worth it.

Anyway, these BB will be just reinforcing the message. The SG spends a lot on these campaigns - they are all over the place (TV, Posters, Cinema etc) and I think its these small things that just reinforce not to drink and drive.

25.12.2007 13:16 #13

7thsinger

Quote:Originally posted by TBandit: lol who da hell actually read da damn billboards in some of deez gamesBased on your nonsensical post, you are one of the people they are hoping to affect. Do the world a favor and learn English. Thanks.Thanks Stang. You took the words out of my mouth.

@cleverrick
failure to be able to type English in a proper manner does not constitute slang. It conveys ignorance of the language.

25.12.2007 20:33 #14

cleverick

Quote:Quote:Originally posted by TBandit: lol who da hell actually read da damn billboards in some of deez gamesBased on your nonsensical post, you are one of the people they are hoping to affect. Do the world a favor and learn English. Thanks.Thanks Stang. You took the words out of my mouth.

@cleverrick
failure to be able to type English in a proper manner does not constitute slang. It conveys ignorance of the language.Your are not getting what I'm saying. What I'm saying is every generation has their slang. Remember the slang when you were that age? It is not ignorance of the language, but a mere rebellion towards it. With time this will subside, till then let kids be kids. It is not going to turn into "1984".

25.12.2007 21:44 #15

7thsinger

No i get what you are saying. And i do remember the slang of my age. What get's me is things like this:
(slang) da - (proper) the
total typing letters saved = 1

(slang) deez - (proper) these
total typing letters saved = 1

sounding like a person who has comprehesion/reading/writing problems...costly, when you actually want someone to take you - or what you have to say seriously.

EDIT: And i'm not saying this fellow can't write properly, i'm just saying it makes it harder to take someone seriously when they choose to write in such a manner.

25.12.2007 21:55 #16

cleverick

25.12.2007 22:08 #17

7thsinger

Here it would be a great night and i wish you the same in return.

25.12.2007 22:12 #18

svtstang

Originally posted by 7thsinger: No i get what you are saying. And i do remember the slang of my age. What get's me is things like this:
(slang) da - (proper) the
total typing letters saved = 1

(slang) deez - (proper) these
total typing letters saved = 1

sounding like a person who has comprehesion/reading/writing problems...costly, when you actually want someone to take you - or what you have to say seriously.

EDIT: And i'm not saying this fellow can't write properly, i'm just saying it makes it harder to take someone seriously when they choose to write in such a manner.Thank God there are some sane people in this world! It is one thing to speak slang, but to type it is a totally different story. Why convey ignorance when you can otherwise come off to others as coherent/intelligent? It is hard to judge character on the net; typing is really the only way to gain any credibility. Sorry if I sound like I am nagging, I just despise laziness.

/end rant

25.12.2007 23:31 #19

scorpNZ

Get over yourselves,as if the english language had always been as we speak or spell now , your version of english is different to jamaican,asian,south pacific,American,even to the point one word in one culture means something else in another,& what the hell has english got to do with this thread anyway:
end rant.

360 ads lmao rhat's all we need more bloody spam

26.12.2007 04:13 #20

maryjayne

I agree that this is a good idea to try to prevent some of the ideas from video games reaching real life; however, I do not want to see any type of advertisements when I play video games. First the advertisments will only appear on the billboards in racing games, then on the field in sports games, then slowly work its way into everything else until we are playing Final Fantasy XX and find we are fighting a can of Pepsi while decked out like we were about to enter into a Nascar race. I would like to see no advertising in video games unless the purchase price were to be drastically reduced. We already get plenty of advertising from commercials, billboards, banner adds, spam, etc.

Keep our fun, real-world escaping video games alone!

26.12.2007 07:59 #21

ST2006

I think the initial idea is good, but as said by many others before me; who actually reads those billboards and who can read it at the speed your driving at?

26.12.2007 10:50 #22

borhan9

I can just see myself while playing car games parking the car and reading the billboards placed in the game :P you gotta be kidding me :P

29.12.2007 02:49 #23

7thsinger

Yeah, not the greatest idea ever. If i'm in last place, i might stop to gander a bit. ;P

29.12.2007 10:45 #24

dave5592

Originally posted by: vinny13
Oh good it's not on the PS3 =)

what the hell... vinny, evry time sumfin good happens 4 the ps3 u slaughter it and take the rip, why u all of a sudden in luv with it?? twat...
and im from scotland and on behalf of my country, sorry... i cant believe we would waste muny on sumfin only 1 or 2 people look at in scotland... no sorry, in the world!! and 2 be honest i got a ps3 4 christmas and im glad tht aint happened to it, yet anuva reason- it may be a small reason- to get a ps3;)

31.12.2007 05:47 #25

squizluke

Originally posted by SDF_GR: If no one reads BB in racing games. then all this sponsors for example to Gran Turismo are stupid? I dont think so.
There is no way to play Gran Turismo and not see the BB.
Is for good cause and from 1 million if only 1 reads it, that is something and a life can be saved.
So why not?I agree. If it saves only one life it is worth it.

31.12.2007 08:33 #26

vinny13

Originally posted by dave5592: Originally posted by: vinny13
Oh good it's not on the PS3 =)

what the hell... vinny, evry time sumfin good happens 4 the ps3 u slaughter it and take the rip, why u all of a sudden in luv with it?? twat...
and im from scotland and on behalf of my country, sorry... i cant believe we would waste muny on sumfin only 1 or 2 people look at in scotland... no sorry, in the world!! and 2 be honest i got a ps3 4 christmas and im glad tht aint happened to it, yet anuva reason- it may be a small reason- to get a ps3;)WTF man. I have a PS3. Its awsome. Better then any Easy-Bake 360. I'm playing RFOM as I type.

31.12.2007 11:08 #27

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