ABSTRACT
With the expanding popularity of Location-Based Games and the rise of advertising therein, there exists a need to comprehend the impact of Location-Based Game Advertising (LGA). This paper seeks to identify what makes positively affective LGA, leveraging Pokémon GO as a probe. Researchers conducted twenty-seven (n=27) semi-structured interviews with Pokémon GO players to reveal lived experiences regarding LGA. Our findings highlight the following direct implications for LGA: (1) LGA act as a digital billboard, conveying qualitative alongside locative information, and (2) well-received LGA enhances the player's agency. We additionally identify findings that have auxiliary implications to LGA: (3) positive memorability occurs when points of interest match physical reality, and (4) ludic engagement is a mediating factor in the memorability of locations. This research demonstrates that LGA in Location-Based Games is surprisingly well-received. However, developers must provide extra consideration to the player's agency for such techniques to be effective. © 2023 ACM.
ABSTRACT
Location-based advertising (LBA), such as billboards and signage, has long been a direct-to-consumer advertising staple. As locative media such as Location-Based Games (LBG) begins to rise in prominence, digital LDA becomes increasingly appealing. In this paper, we explore the impacts of LBA on small businesses in the LBG Pokémon GO, a lacuna in the literature. We gather participant experience through a collection of 35 semi-structured interviews with businesses leveraging Niantic's sponsored location LBA. These testimonies indicate (1) participant businesses found LBG advertising to be satisfactory, (2) LBG advertising improves brand recognizability for local commerce, and (3) local community is an important factor for success in LBG advertising. These findings indicate future patterns for integrating local businesses into LBG like Pokémon GO, suggesting potential for LBG advertising to assist local businesses. © 2022 ACM.