Massive and comScore have put together what the two companies referred to as a breakthrough In-game advertising research methodology, designed to track the effectiveness of in-game advertising on the gamers’ online behavior. Labeled AdEffx Action Lift for Gaming, the system is set up to deliver a complex insight to advertisers, allowing them to measure just how in-game advertisements impact consumer online behavior. The Redmond company noted that AdEffx Action Lift for Gaming was made possible through a collaboration between Massive and comScore Inc.

Specifically, Massive and comScore are trying to find correlations between advertising content placed in games and the actions it will generate with gamers, such as convincing them to visit a certain website, or search for a particular brand. This consumer behavior, sparked by in-game ads, could not be measured previously.

“We know from 85-plus independently verified post-campaign studies that in-game advertising increases brand engagement,” noted JJ Richards, general manager of Massive, the creator of a leading network for dynamic video game advertising. “But what we didn’t know was the correlation between in-game ads and consumer action. Through this collaboration with comScore, we will also now be able to measure those consumer actions that result from in-game ads. We think this has the potential to literally ‘change the game’ for both advertisers and publishers who want to improve the effectiveness of their in-game ad efforts.”

The AdEffx Action Lift for Gaming will combine gamer data from Xbox LIVE and Microsoft’s web properties, including Windows Live, with statistics generated through the tracking of comScore’s panel of 2 million Internet users worldwide, in order to provide conclusions. Microsoft assured members of the Xbox LIVE and Windows Live communities that all data was anonymous, and that they wouldn’t be personally identifiable in the process.

“We believe AdEffx Action Lift for Gaming puts in-game advertising campaign measurement on a level playing field with comparable digital media,” added Mike Hurt, senior vice president, comScore. “With this kind of methodology, we are addressing the need for better standards of ad effectiveness measurement across all forms of digital media. Advertisers can now track post-campaign online activity, including direct Web site visits, search queries and other consumer behaviors among people who have been exposed to in-game ads.”