Zodiac Interactive And Skyworks Technologies, Inc. Announce Partnership Agreement To Design, Develop And Deploy Dual-Platform Advergames For Online, Set-Top Box Distribution

Zodiac Interactive, owner of the largest library of set-top box ad-supported and subscription games for all major platforms, and Skyworks Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of compelling advertising supported video games, today announced a partnership agreement to design, develop and deploy dual-platform Advergames for online and set-top box distribution. The Zodiac/Skyworks Advergames will debut to over 13 mm digital set-top subscribers in 2007, defining the largest iTV ad-supported game network in the world.

Skyworks will be demonstrating its games at the Zodiac Interactive exhibit (# 4272) at the upcoming National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA)’s The Cable Show ’07 to be held in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on May 7-9. In addition, Zodiac’s COO Alexander Libkind and Skyworks Technologies’ VP Sales & Business Development Mike Vann will speak on a panel at the show to discuss the revenue potential of Advergames for cable operators. The panel discussion, entitled “Casual Attitude: New Opportunities in a Multiplatform Living Room,” will be held on Wednesday, May 9 from 3:30-4:15 in the Mandalay Bay Ballroom.

Zodiac Interactive’s EVP-Sales & Marketing Rick Howe commented, “Advergames are compelling, sponsored interactive content that enables leading brands to attract large, targeted audiences and effectively promote their brands across multiple platforms. We are pleased to have this relationship with Skyworks Technologies, who pioneered the concept of Advergaming in 1996.”

“Custom branded Advergames and contextual in-game advertising is proving to be one of the most effective and stickiest vehicles to engage consumers in deeply engaging online experiences,” said Skyworks Technologies’ President/CEO Garry Kitchen. “Zodiac Interactive is the perfect partner for extending and distributing our branded Advergames to consumers through set-top boxes.”

Custom-made, Advergames are designed around a specific product with product placements integrated into a story line or during natural pauses in game play. Sponsorships and messages can be delivered via pre-roll as the game loads. Actions within the game can trigger further activities, as well as behavior off-line. For example, inquiring about a pizza in the pizza-branded game may trigger an email to the player with a store coupon that can be used to try the product. Store locators can be included in games, and players can be directed to visit the store for contests or prize drawings. Also, E-commerce and click-to-call opportunities can be embedded in any game, closing the loop at a time when consumer enjoyment is at its highest. All of these methods can be combined to deepen gamers’ interaction with the brand.

The mass medium of games is tracking to reach $42 billion by the end of the decade, according to a recent article in iMedia Connection. Analysts are predicting a growth curve for in-game advertising that outpaces the growth of online and follows suit with what has already happened: gamer hours surpassing time spent on the Internet. Accordingly, more than 40 million brand-sponsored Skyworks games are downloaded every month from its clients’ web sites, and more than 1 billion of the company’s Advergames have been downloaded to date.