Gamebrander, a US-based advergames outfit, is putting brands into branded games. The group has already had success in integrating games with brands in the past and they plan to sustain their efforts.
“The brand and brand messaging is built into every part of the game,” explained company president Kendra Wright when asked about how they approach advergames designs.
This type of approach is evident in games like “A Game of Two Continents,” a project designed by Gamebrander as a part of the PG Tips and Rainforest Alliance campaign. The title features the PG mascot as a character. In the game, players collect PG Tips teabags to add points and the game takes place in Africa and England to highlight PG Tips’ international connections.
Gamebrander also gives out prizes with its titles. That approach has been a trademark design of their games. “Prizes are very effective for most all audiences, both in increasing game play and in encouraging viral game distribution,” said Wright. “GameBrander… does turnkey sweepstakes management if companies want to offer prizes for their games.”
Wright emphasized that prizes are not enough. Titles have to be catchy. “People have their eyes on your game so much longer than most any other marketing method,” she explained. “The shelf life of a game is so much longer than a print ad, for example, the value of which is basically over when the publication leaves the shelves.”
When asked about how advergames work, Wright explained: “It is almost impossible to build an ad that people will be enticed to pass on to their friends—but this is exactly what people do with games. It’s a great way to build your in-house e-mail list.”
With regards to future prospects, the company president said, “As audiences get more averse to traditional marketing, games will be a great way to appeal to hard-to-reach potential customers.”
Source: brand-e.biz
