• by Shankar Gupta , September 20, 2006

Console gamers, who make up roughly 17 percent of the adult population, consume an above-average amount of media, according to a study released Tuesday by Universal-McCann. The agency also reported that gamers tend to be well-disposed toward product placement in movies and TV.

The study, based on a survey of more than 5,000 U.S. adults, found that adult console gamers, on average, spend about two hours a week online more than the average adult. Gamers also spend an hour more than average watching DVDs each week.

Console gamers, on average, are also more receptive to celebrity spokespeople and product placement, and are more likely to consider themselves trendsetters. Gamers surveyed were 15 percent more likely to remember the name of the last brand product they saw in movies or TV, 69 percent more likely to be tempted to buy that product, and 40 percent more likely to have actually bought. Gamers are also 46 percent more likely to consider themselves trendsetters, and 57 percent more likely to be the first among their friends to visit a new store.

The study said that the media consumption habits of console gamers, combined with their feelings toward advertising, make them a good target for marketers. "In terms of outward motivations, this young group needs to be noticed, make an impression, and be the envy of their peers," it stated. "All in all, a potent combination for advertisers."