Dubit Research put together a report for Virtual Worlds Forum asking its panel of 600 7-to-12-year-olds about their habits in virtual worlds. The numbers are fairly in line with those reported by Nielsen over the summer: 73% of surveyed tweens use virtual worlds on some level, with 43% of respondents usually visiting the most popular Club Penguin followed by Habbo Hotel at 27%.
Importantly, especially in light of reports that marketers may be cutting experimental budgets and shying away from virtual worlds, advertising seems to be working. 45% of the panelists reported noticing advertisments and sponsorships in virtual worlds (19% "lots of times" and 26% "sometimes). Overall, the response is good too. On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the most positive, 70% of those surveyed rated brand presence in virtual worlds either a 4 (just under 30%) or 5 (just over 40%). [via Virtual Worlds Forum]
Of course the majority - 54% - did not notice advertisements at all which is worrying. Moreover, if the figures from Dubit are to be believed, then a sizeable chunk of those who did notice the ads or sponsorships recorded a negative reaction to them - some 30%
It could be said that given the above, over 70% of respondents to this survey had a negative reaction or did not notice adverts/sponsorship in virtual worlds.
It would also be interesting to know how the 73% figure has been reached? I bet they include people who are members of both Habbo and Penguin thereby manipulating the result in favour of virtual worlds.
Online research isn't all it seems
Posted by: Tony D | November 12, 2008 at 04:00 AM