• New York Post, Wednesday, March 15, 2006 12 PM

Financial services marketer Visa is taking the strategy of advertising in video games to the next level. In the latest release of a new "CSI" game based on the popular TV show, Visa's credit card fraud protection program is not just promoted through visual appearances; it plays a starring role in the story itself. "It's not just an ad in a game," said Jon Raj, Visa's vice president of advertising and emerging media. "It allows the consumer to understand our product." Visa collaborated with game maker Ubisoft to make the service a central part of the plotline. In the game, Visa's fraud monitoring--in which the company alerts users to suspicious activity--flags spending activity on a victim's account, leading the "CSI" detectives to investigate. The Visa logo also pops up on billboards, such as a sign outside a Las Vegas hotel room. Altogether, Visa has about 10 minutes of time during the PC game, called "CSI 3: Dimensions of Murder." Studies have shown that video game placements are better at raising brand awareness than are traditional TV ads, while the gaming audience has expanded beyond young males to women and even baby boomers.

Read the whole story at New York Post »