Sony, Activision Skeptical Of In-Game Ad Potential

Sony Group CEO Howard Stringer and Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick have both voiced their skepticism over the potential growth prospects for in-game advertising, in a new joint interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Speaking to British newspaper the Financial Times, Stringer commented that “The [supposed] solution to everything at the moment in the digital space is ad-supported. While advertisers are happy to talk that up, there is a limit to the amount of money available.” Although he admitted that business models were rapidly changing Stringer insisted that “young people don't like advertising very much”. Apparently agreeing with Stringer’s comments, Kotick commented: “It's early days. I wouldn't go in that direction myself." In the same report, NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker also expressed skepticism over the business model for mobile advertising, with the influential executives all apparently wary over the slow acceptance of digital advertising. Digital marketing agency CEO Nigel Morris agreed that while consumers were used to television advertising, they had still to adjust to new marketing methods, with mobile, video game and social network advertising still being seen as “intrusive”.