Two Tickets for Paradise: Gaming and Tourism

Two Tickets for Paradise: Gaming and Tourism

Ashleigh K. Shelton
Copyright: © 2012 |Pages: 11
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-041-5.ch006
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Abstract

This chapter begins by identifying linkage points between advergames, tourism and three major mass communication theories/approaches—media dependency theory (Ball Rokeach & DeFleur, 1976; DeFleur & Ball-Rokeach, 1989), uncertainty reduction theory (Berger & Calabrese, 1975), and uses and gratifications theory (Blumler & Katz, 1974). These will serve as examples of how advergames and hospitality can be integrated into theories and models attempting to explain the impact of information technologies. They will also provide a springboard for considering the nature of advergames with regards to tourism.
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Advergames

There is a growing awareness in the corporate world of the pervasiveness and importance of virtual consumption, or the way players behave when consuming in-game products and services (Drennan & Keeffe, 2007). Large corporations such as Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sun Microsystems, Adidas/Reebok, Toyota and Starwood Hotels have rapidly been entering the virtual worlds of Massively Multi-player Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) through advertising and participation (Siklos, 2006). “Many types of organizations are starting to use advergames as a part of their marketing strategy. Their aim is to improve branding, to boost product awareness, and collect detailed data about existing and potential customers, clients, and supporters” (Winkler & Buckner, 2006, pp. 24).

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