Double Fusion Adds Web Properties to In-Game Network
In-game advertising firm Double Fusion added gaming search engine Wazap to its network to extend advertiser reach.
In-game advertising firm Double Fusion added gaming search engine Wazap to its network to extend advertiser reach.
Video game-centric search engine Wazap enlisted Double Fusion to sell and place advertising on the U.S. version of the site. Inventory on Wazap allows Double Fusion to extend advertiser reach through integrated packages, the companies said.
“Our focus is on delivering the largest gaming audience possible to advertisers, and allowing advertisers to have multiple touch points to gamers, including in-game, around-game, and select Web opportunities,” Double Fusion President and CEO Jonathan Epstein told ClickZ News.
Double Fusion’s sales force may leverage Wazap to offer sweepstakes and promotions that don’t necessarily work well in-game. “A number of our advertisers say they love in-game, but want to collect names,” said Epstein. “By providing a platform such as Wazap, we can provide deeper programs, sell better ad buys.”
Similar to other in-game ad networks, Double Fusion typically sells to consumer brands, an advertiser group Wazap is eager to court. “Double Fusion has the best footprint for talking to consumer product companies who want to reach gamers directly, not just in the game,” said Thom Kozik, president of Wazap U.S. Kozik said Wazap provides a venue for richer interaction not possible for ads running in games.
In-game advertising placement is Double Fusion’s focus, though it handles Web-based advertising for a handful of sites, including in-game and Web ads for ijji.com’s “Rounders Poker.” Advertisers get one unified report. In addition to custom deals like promotions and sweepstakes, ad units include standard IAB formats such as leaderboards and skyscraper units, as well as rich media plcaements. Larger ad opportunities are possible.
“We are looking for opportunities to do roadblocks, where we can do sponsorships of sections or genres on the site for a particular advertiser,” said Kozik.
Wazap, a vertical search engine for video gamers, launched in Japan and Germany in 2003 and in the U.S. earlier this year. Double Fusion has an existing international presence, and eventually could expand its representation of Wazap to include its international sites