The creative possibilities of video games have been energized by the continual advancement of technology in the twenty-first century. Extensive research has been conducted to better understand the effects of video game audio-visual components, gaming platforms, and computer-mediated communication. The research that has investigated the influence of narrative elements has focused primarily on their interaction with aggressive game play and increased aggression. After investigation into the literature pertaining to narrative, human motivation, and arousal, this thesis discusses study results indicating a subtle, yet significant, influence character motivation manipulation has increasing audience arousal, specifically in a narrative involving a near future war plotline. Additionally, the results indicating that the localization of a narrative’s setting does not increased audience arousal any more so than a narrative setting ambiguously defined. These concepts can be useful to advertising strategists interested in developing advergames or product placements within video games, and therefore the implications of this thesis’ results and future research suggestions will be presented. / text

Product placements are gaining more importance in corporate marketing communication budgets and marketers need to understand the effectiveness of these placements to justify investments into them. Three studies were conducted to study the effectiveness of product placements in movies. Essay one studied the economic worth of product placements on the long term profitability of the firm through an event study. Analysis of 467 placements of movies released during 1968-2007 shows that product placements generate a mean cumulative abnormal return of 0.21% during the (-1, +2) event window. Hierarchical linear modeling of the abnormal returns in cross-sectional analysis indicates that placement duration positively impacts the abnormal returns. Placement blatancy was found to negatively affect placements' worth. We did not find any support for the effect of critical reviews or presence of a star director on the worth of product placements. Crime and comedy genres were found to positively affect abnormal returns of placements. Additional MANCOVA analysis, using different event windows as the dependent variable, suggests that a period of two weeks might be required after a movie's release for the information about placement execution factors to be incorporated by the market in its evaluation of the firm. In essay two we study the effectiveness of product placement from a memory perspective by means of a longitudinal study, using a student subject panel. Subjects were exposed to a full- length movie and recognition was tracked at weekly intervals for a period of four weeks. Results of a dynamic panel analysis using generalized estimating equations indicate that audience recognition for a movie placement significantly diminishes one to two weeks after exposure to the movie. In addition, recognition of placements is enhanced by audiences' attitude toward product placements. Recognition is further affected by placement execution factors. Specifically, we found that audio placements and placements of longer duration positively affect placement recognition. Plot connectivity and character association did not significantly impact recognition over time. Essay three examines the impact of brand-character association on consumer attitude toward the placed brand. A 2x2 within subjects experiment, using a full-length movie as a stimulus, was conducted on a panel of student subjects to assess the interaction effect of character-brand valence on consumer attitude. Results support a significant interaction between character and brand valence. Analyses also indicate that congruency between character and brand valence enhances affective measures toward the placed brand, supporting the congruency theory and Meaning Transfer Model. Additionally, we found that brand familiarity fully mediates the character-valence interaction. Limitations and Implications of the studies were also discussed.

The advancement of digital entertainment media has given audiences the ability to skip ads that do not interest them. Consequently, brands face the challenge of creating ads that can compel audiences and finding media outlets that can effectively reach target audiences. Brands today use product placements to promote their products because movie audiences are generally attentive to ads when they are incorporated in a movie’s narrative. Marvel Cinematic Universe is a globally recognized entertainment franchise that uses product placements strategically to promote brands in their movies and TV shows. In this study, I conduct rhetorical analyses of select product placements in Marvel movies to investigate how they employ different rhetorical appeals in promoting products; and discuss how the appeals can influence audience perceptions of the products advertised. My findings suggest that product placements in Marvel movies leverage Aristotle's rhetorical appeals to draw audiences' attention and influence their opinions about products.