Game playing fundamentally alters your relationship with your customers and effectively cuts through all the problems experienced by marketing programs at the same time allowing customers to have their say.
Shelley makes a couple of good points in her post.
Instead of looking at advertising inside a game, think of creating a game as advertising. Create a game as a component of a comprehensive marketing plan.
Create a narrative through your game. Bring the audience from an engaging start, to a climax middle and an informative closing.
Why does this work? People respond to an engaging story line. A story naturally takes people away from their reality into an alternate reality. By using the story format in a game with a clear goal you effectively engage them in the story line, make them part of the narrative, giving them the chance to "determine" the outcome.
So marketeers what to do?
Create a marketing story line with a clear consumer end goal.
Engage the audience through an interactive game to lead them through the story.
Sprinkle your brand message throughout the experience.
Close of with a clear direction to you and your product/service.
Have you ever used used a game in your marketing efforts? Tell me about them.
Have you heard about MOO? Ian Sanders just wrote about them on BNET, a site I read on a regular basis.
You’ve either heard of MOO or you haven’t. And if you have, I bet that like me you’ve recommended loads of people to their site, where they’ve fallen in love with MOO business cards. So how has this four-year-old company from London made such an impact on the marketplace, earning a reputation among creatives and start-ups in the digital world? Here are some of the reasons this company of just 32 people has acquired customers in 181 countries:
It’s a game-changer: Like any innovative brand, MOO is refreshingly different. Business cards used to be expensive things you got your designers to organize and get printed. Along came MOO, with a web-based offering where you could upload your own artwork or use one of their templates — all for just £12.99 (about $20) for 50 cards.
It’s customizable: Every card or sticker in a pack can carry a different image, giving clients a huge scope for customizing their message to different audiences.
It offers incentives: Moo offers referral codes for introduction to friends and promotions for discounts and special offers.
It’s personality-driven: The brand oozes personality from the website all the way through to the packaging when it lands on your desk.
It’s user-friendly: The website is easy to use and easy to upload to.
So what makes this campaign/event/ad/pr so amazing?
1. It involves people
Heineken was smart to target their tribe. Their core market watches AC Milan - Real Madrid and people who watch AC Milan - Real Madrid could be Heineken drinkers. It is these people that will take this story and spread it like folklore amongst their own social circles. 1,100 soccer fans got swindled, 1.5 million people saw their reactions on live TV, 5 million people visited the website, but many more were touched by this.
The campaign also put people at the center. The people involved and "tricked" are vital to its success. Heineken was able to blend broadcast and guerrilla marketing.
2. It has a clear story line
The campaign has a clear story line. Let's take it from the perspective of one of the people watching the so called concert.
I HAVE to go to this concert I really do not want to go to. I feel disappointed and perhaps a bit angry.
I am sitting at this concert and it is boring, I wish I was somewhere else, and I am even a bit angry at the person who made me come here.
What is this? They are going to show the match on the screen? It was all a set up by Heineken!? I feel relieved, I feel happy, I feel a bit tricked but in the most positive sense of the word, I feel like this is some story to tell my friends.
This was an easy emotional roller coaster for the viewers at home to follow as well. And knowing that the people watching the concert would be nicely surprised it made for an entertained and emotionally involved viewer.
3. It affects emotions
Remember the time as a child when your favorite toy was taken away from you, and only given back to you once you did something not so fun (like cleaning your room)?
The Heineken campaign creates that feeling in the 1,100 soccer fans. Bringing them back to an emotion they are very familiar with.
Implement it yourself
Inject these things into your interactions with your customers.
"When GDP per capita was held constant, the indicators for human capital, creative class, and tolerance were all positively related to life satisfaction..."
A report by Jason Rentfrow and Charlotta Mellander, "Socioeconomic Structures and Happiness", shows that once GDP levels out and the gross of people have a steady income, factors such as human capital, creativity and tolerance are key indicators for how happy a country is. Once a sense of security is achieved, society climbs up Maslow's hierarchy to fulfill other needs.
Companies need to realize this and understand that esteem needs are being met. Take that step further and help the customer in their search for self-actualization.
Help the customer be creative
Be connected WITH the customer
Be engaged with the customer
Be transparent
Be good
When was the last time you helped your customer transform?
There is a service out there by which kids (or adults) can design a stuffed animal in the store and within a few days the toy is delivered to the kids house. What if we take this online? Web savvy kids create their toy online, using a fun interactive web app to design their toy. The child types in the email address of the parents (not sure at what age this would already be possible) and the design is sent to the parent. Now how can the parent resist such a request. Make the web app fun for the user regardless of the physical outcome. If the parent buys the toy for the kid... Great!! A modified freemium model. How do you bridge the gap from a child's desire to an adult (parent) purchase?
Experience Engineer
I help brands and customers interact with each other through static, interactive, and human touch points. I look especially at the crossing of online - offline, focusing on what makes a customer experience shareable & remarkable.
I help brands and customers interact with each other.
I look especially at the crossing of online - offline, focusing on what makes a customer experience shareable & remarkable. I lead growth for Aleph-Labs.
