Just because you’re targeting gamers, it doesn’t mean that you have to create your own game (as we described in Fish where the fish are ) to reach them. You can just partner with a game software company to create an add-on to an existing game.

Just ask Nissan.  Forza Motorsport 2, the next generation of a popular auto racing game, comes out this summer for Microsoft’s Xbox 360. While the game features a number of different cars to race, participants in a Nissan promotion will receive an extra car in their garage, a souped-up Nissan Sentra SE - R. By partnering with a game developer, such as ID or Electronic Arts (or many others), you can insert your brand right into the gamer world.

Given the number of games and gaming consoles, your ability to interact with gamers is really only limited by your imagination. Have you thought about opportunities to partner with existing game titles to make game related marketing more affordable?

Something is stealing viewers from the TV. It’s the other new media - video games. Now a $10 billion dollar industry, larger than the total movie box-office.

To reach men from the teens up to mid 30’s, consider developing a low cost game that brings your brand personality to life - literally. Burger King sold three games for the MS Xbox ($3.99 each with a value meal) as part of a 2006 holiday promotion. The games feature the chain’s iconic King and the the strangely popular Subservient Chicken in various exploits - with Sneak King the most popular. As a part of the effort the chain created a gamer focused site at BKgamer.com.

In addition to critical acclaim and selling 3.2 million games, Burger King generated incremental traffic and sales - contributing to a 41% jump in quarterly profit.

Instead of creating another set of TV ads, think about bringing your brand to life in its own game.