According to a new article from Nielsen Games on the growth of the Madden NFL franchise, EA Sports has spent many, many millions on advertising for Madden in the last year and a half. One might think that EA's Madden games sell themselves – and to some degree that's probably true (it's also the only official NFL video game) – but it would be foolish to ignore the marketing muscle that EA throws behind its football juggernaut with each release.

Nielsen said that EA spent the majority of its marketing dollars on television, with roughly $3 million going to network TV and about $5.5 million to cable TV. Another $1 million or so was spent on web ads, such as ESPN.com, and the publisher also made sure to target Spanish-language television to help promote a Spanish-speaking version of the game. All told, Nielsen said the latest campaign included nearly two dozen television spots and more than 50 web vignettes.

"Capitalizing on the need to reach an often elusive, multi-channel and fragmented audience, EA Sports' most recent brand campaign puts a focus on real gamers of all types—young and old, male and female, celebrity and athlete," Nielsen wrote.

Interestingly, while Madden remains a video game played most by males, Nielsen did find that "an impressive number of young women" are also playing EA's football title. Many of these women become aware of the game through viral means, such as their friends, co-workers or relatives.

Nielsen said that the Madden brand has become "a classic example of Marketing in the 21st Century. It has successfully become an omnipresent part of sports culture because it continues to thrill gamers and sports fans of all ages with cutting-edge technology and jaw-dropping realism."