Experience Manifesto

MSNBC.com NewsBreaker

We're about 2 hours away from the launch of the MSNBC.com NewsBreaker game and we're all pretty psyched. We've done a couple of small group tests, but playing before the premiere of Spider Man will be pretty cool. And if the ticket sales here are any indication, Spider Man will be big. They're running Imax shows at midnight, 3 am, 6 am, 9 am and they're all sold out. Plus, it's on 4 or 5 regular screens and they're all booked too.

Nothing like the pre-show jitters! This technology has always been a crowd pleaser at our office, but watching it in front of a real theatre audience will be different for sure. But that's the best thing about being the Brand Experience Lab, we get to experiment! We don't experiment enough in the advertising industry, so we're excited when we get the chance to work with folks like MSNBC.com & SS+K, their agency. They took the chance on this being a cool experience and I think it'll pay off!

And I also have to give a shout out to National Amusements. Both the company and their staff at the individual theatres have really been great to work with. We didn't really know hpw the installation would ultimately work and they've been totally flexible in helping us get the job done. And the theatre here in LA is really pretty cool. I love the idea of reserved seating and having a bar/lounge right here. Makes lot of sense. They also have servers in one of their theatres, so you can relax in your seat in the theatre and have a drink. The future of movie theatres!

So I'll write more after it's all over. If you're in LA, give me a shout and we'll show you what we're doing here.

RED HERRING | Massive Drives Interactive Ads

Once again, smart companies are using new technology to deliver the same old stuff!

Moving to grab a bigger part of the in-game ad market, Microsoft’s Massive unit introduced its latest offering Monday—interactive ads.  

The majority of in-game advertisements have, until this point, mirrored static real-world approaches like billboards, vending machines, or even product placement.
 
Interactive ads are the latest move by advertisers interested in finding ways to make a stronger connection with target audiences. Video game players are rapidly becoming a lucrative market.
 
The first advertiser to use the new interactive ad is automotive giant Toyota, whose 2007 Yaris sedan will be featured in the massively multiplayer game Anarchy Online, published by Funcom.
 
According to Massive spokesperson Amy Janzen, gamers can click on billboards featuring the Yaris. As they do so, the ads reveal more information about the car. (Emphasis mine)

Now, not only does it seem like a lame use of technology when they could be doing something way cool, but here's a description of the game from the Anarchy Online web site:

Step almost 30,000 years into the future, to an age where common surgical implants and microscopic nano-bots can relieve most forms of human suffering... or transform even a child into a weapon of destructive force.

On the planet of Rubi-Ka, a battle rages between the haves and have-nots in a time when the clans seek liberation from the all-powerful Omni-Tek corporation in the name of justice, voluntarily if possible; from the barrel of a gun if necessary. The leaders of both sides are desperately seeking a solution that can stop the violence ravaging the planet, against a backdrop of betrayal, military raids and conniving political games, cyborg assassins and modified humans.

You are 30.000 years into the future. You're in the age... of Anarchy Online.

So, you're on this planet trying to stop an evil corporation...you're involved in intrigue, political battles and, oh yea, a full scale war. And I'm going to stop to see an ad for Toyota??? An ad, BTW, that doesn't give me anything helpful to the game I'm playing!

You know, use the billboard to give me something that helps in the game. A secret getaway car after I've shot someone (I may be an assassin, after all!) or some secret Omni-Tek information. Just bring me something that has value to the experience I'm having! Don't just deliver your advertising message.

I don't get how with all of the creative power of Microsoft available to them, this is the best they could do. Aren't they reading anything about the changes in the advertising industry. You know, the whole two-way communication thing. The whole bring value to your audience, don't just deliver you message thing. Come on folks, let's try to do better for our audience!

Link: RED HERRING | Massive Drives Interactive Ads.

CNN.com - Students fight for Mideast peace in video game - Apr 24, 2006

We had the chance to see the Peace Maker game last year and it is really quite impressive. They're doing some very cool work and they are at the forefront of this growing field using video games for social good.

A Palestinian suicide bomber blows up a bus, leaving the newly elected Israeli prime minister to puzzle over a response. A missile strike could ease security fears, or prompt more violence. A diplomatic approach might anger Israelis, leading to an assassination plot.

The complex choices facing leaders in the Middle East have long confounded political analysts and policy makers. But two graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University are hoping their video game based on the conflict will help players find solutions -- and raise capital for their new company.

Link: CNN.com - Students fight for Mideast peace in video game - Apr 24, 2006.

Wells Fargo Plants Flag in Hit Multiplayer Game

A big shout out to Erik Hauser from Swivel Media for creating this very hot promotional program. I'll be posting more later this week and you'll get a chance to see what the game's all about. It's way cool!

Wells Fargo has built a branded 3D online role-playing game within the massively multiplayer universe known as Second Life.

The company said its game environment, called Stagecoach Island, will teach financial literacy to young people while they guide avatars through a branded mini-world full of other players and potential adventures.

The island's attractions include skydiving, jet skiing, communal social areas and shopping. Some are free. Others cost money, which players can earn by interacting with the Wells Fargo brand -- specifically, by answering financial trivia questions in a "Learning Lounge." That material is drawn from Wells Fargo's own offline financial literacy program.

The game hasn't received wide release yet, but the bank has launched a pilot program in San Diego and Austin, Texas. Wells Fargo's experiential marketing agency, Swivel Media, helped create the game.

Stagecoach Island exists on not one but several islands within Second Life, and it's sealed and separate from the rest of the MMORPG (define). The islands are private, and regular users of Second Life can't access them without first being invited by Wells Fargo. Even then, they are unable to bring their Second Life avatars along.

Link: Wells Fargo Plants Flag in Hit Multiplayer Game.

How Barbie Lost Her Groove, But Shouldn't Have

Here's a pretty good review from CIO Insight about how Barbie, despite having all of the information they needed, still made a number of mistakes that lead directly to a significant loss of market share. There's many sections to the article, so be sure to click on the link below to read it all.

Mattel's world-class competitive intelligence system crunches sales reports, children's play-pattern studies, and even findings on where kids go online.

The system picked up signals that young girls, heavily influenced by the gyrations of pop star Britney Spears, wanted a doll bolder and brasher than Mattel's pert-and-pale Barbie. Yet, today, MGA's hip-hop cool Bratz threaten Barbie's reign as queen of the dolls.

Worldwide sales of Bratz reached $700 million last year --growing more than 45% over the previous 12 months, while sales of Barbie have stagnated. Barbie's share of the fashion doll market has shrunk from 75% in 2000 to roughly 60% today, and new rivals -- Janay and Friends from Integrity Toys, Girls on the Go from Tolly Tots, and the Princess line from Disney -- are all crowding into the doll aisle.

Mattel had the means to see it coming and act decisively to protect its franchise. What happened?

Link: How Barbie Lost Her Groove, But Shouldn't Have.

A&M Records Promotes New Album in Sims Game

Lots of discussion about "advergaming" right now and it will certainly be interesting to see how this trend plays out. Will there be a point where the audience gets tired of seeing ads in their games? Only time will tell.

A&M Records Promotes New Album in Sims Game