Beyond Affect Transfer: Attribute Associations in Video-Game Brand Placements and Their Impact on Brand Attitudes

Abstract

Brand placements are omnipresent in video games. However, when and how they influence players’ brand attitudes is still insufficiently understood. Whereas previous research argued that positive affect transfers from the game to the placed brands and elevates brand attitudes, we propose and test that players form associations of the placed brands with specific attributes depending on the specific placement context. In a 2 × 2 within-subjects experiment with a third-person adventure game (N = 76), we strategically placed brands alongside positive versus negative in-game experiences by letting players collect items, conveying either speed or healthiness as an attribute. Brand attitudes became more positive if brands were paired with positive in-game experiences, irrespective of the specific attribute. However, brands also became associated with the distinct attributes they were paired with. These associations mediated the effects of the placement valence on brand attitudes, depending on which attribute was conveyed in the in-game experience. Our findings suggest that positive brand placement effects on brand attitudes go beyond a direct affect transfer but also arise from associations with specific attributes. Our study offers important insights into brand attitude formation from in-game advertising and valuable suggestions on effective brand placement.