Bonjour Readers!
It’s been over a week since I’ve yet to posted anything, my condolences to anticipating subscribers, but this “chic” has been busy! 😉
But I do hope that ya’ll are well. Anyways .. BACK TO MY AWESOMENESS
This week, we’ll be putting our “nerd caps” on,
Source: Blogging4jobs
and we’ll be talking about …. GAMES! Girls, I know to us it might not seem very interesting, but those adorable Dumb Ways to Die games or the recent Minion Rush application is apart of a brand’s marketing scheme!
“Play is not the opposite of work.” Instead, think of play as being at the root of gamification and when done well, people can engage in playful activities and still do business at the same time” -Dr. Stuart Brown
Gamification is the integration of game mechanics or game dynamics into a website, service, community, campaign or work.(Blogging4jobs) Here are three basic functions of games:
1) Presents a Delightful Head Fake
Brands are promoting the use of games as their growth strategy, because customers are being marketed to without them realising it. Regardless of whether the game has a strong correlation with the products itself. Customers who are engaged with the game that is attention grabbing and interactive, are reluctant to think that it is provided for their entertainment. The game would thus serve as a trigger to remind customers of the brand and simultaneously check out the sections of the brands webpage or research more about it.
2) Create Brand Advocates
Users who are highly fascinated by the game played would most probably invite their friends to come play along, through both social media platforms and word of mouth. Raising the awareness of the brand in totality.
3) Deeper Impressions
Just as repeated songs or advertisements gradually sink into our thoughts, the same principle is applied to the interactivity of games. It encourages users to remember who the brand is and what they stand for.
Companies are, in my opinion, bringing their marketing tactics to the next level of merely straying in advertising platforms. It is not enough to inform customers, but simultaneously entertaining them is slowly becoming a required landmark.
What do you think of the gaming era ?
Check out Magnum’s Pleasure Hunt game, I promise you it’s entertaining. Tell me your high scores 😉
C’est La Vie! xx
GC
References
beautifulgeeks 
when companies create a game for their brand it usually gets people to spend more time on their website and gets people to talk about.
Hi Josh, yes I guess that’s the aim of firms nowadays. Whether the game is relevant to the brand itself or not, the main focus here is to keep consumers entertained and preferably relevant to their contexts.
thanks for your insight!
Cheers!
hi, grace. what do you think about the eGaming community and the terms of buying avatars and items? Is it possible to gain a sustainable income from releasing extra content to a popular game that’s free to play.
hi edward,
I think that buying avatars are an emerging trend in today’s conventions. People (especially girls 😉 ) likes the thought of possessing their own identity in a virtual context and making it their own. We could see this evident in games such as “line play”. Some would even pay for virtual clothes and such with real money! yikes!
TO answer your question, yes it is definitely possible to gain a sustainable income from adding an extra content to an existing game. Although the process of which I am frankly not too sure about!
But I’m sure you’ll have a good hand with it 🙂
Cheers!
Hey Grace! I’m into games and I play game almost everyday with my iPhone of course. My main source of gaming apps are Clash of Clans and Candy Crush. Games are great content that are engaging as well as interactive with the visual and how you need to configure your way out certain obstacle etc. Personally I owned a PS3 and PSP as well as PC games. It definitely kept me engage especially the high definition graphics and game content in PS3 which is a great source of digital marketing that kept me buying more games. Games have evolved tremendously with how they are being played (such as touch screen platform and console-free gameplay). If companies want to keep their customers engage and buy their products, they have to please me with sophisticated graphics and content that will intensely draw my attention to purchase it.
hi Mike, i play candy crush as well!! what level are you up to? 😀 yes, i definitely agree with that statement, if companies are willing to make their brands grow even further, their games have to filled with greater storylines and graphics that interests customers. Some industries have trouble coming up with product related games though, like insurance :p but i definitely agree, i wish brands could come up with high graphic games like torchlight 2 or God of war!! i love those games!! maybe a brand storyline? 😉
Not a very high level, just 140. My sentiment exactly as I also wish for better storyline to keep me engage. I played God of War too !! 🙂
God of war and assassins creed is awesome =p
I know i enjoy both of the graphic and storyline 😀