APPLICATION OF COUNTER-MARKETING: CASE OF THE ONLINE VIDEO GAME MARKET FOR RUSSIAN CONSUMERS

Abstract

The main purpose of this thesis is to define the sense and scope of the counter-marketing and analyze its tools and activities from the viewpoint of counter-marketing capacities applied to managing such irrational consumption that exists among the gamers in the field of video games.

Analyzing previous works on counter-marketing theory and practices as well as works on main trends in video games market, gamer addiction acquired, and corresponding negative social consequences for proper gamers and society as a whole gamers has been done.

The author’s counter-marketing model based on the social cognitive theory is designed and tested with the help of the online survey arranged by the author.

Processing the said survey data resulted in the assessment of an effectiveness of counter-marketing tools that could be applied to the Russian market of video games.

In conclusion, expected to be effective relevant counter-marketing strategies – based on stricter fiscal regulation, developing critical public opinion, introducing built-in-game time limiters, and special boot camps - are proposed and also some proposals for further studies in the field of counter-marketing are done.