Playing On Your Competive Spirit.


Ford Focus Rally America wasn't one of the more memorable Super Bowl spots, but it piqued my interest. For one, it wasn't another car commercial that made you laugh or showed you how good you'd look behind the wheel. It's a game (and I'm all about interaction). If you are creating a game to promote a brand, here are some basic things to consider:

Does it fit your brand? The Focus is small and sporty – much like a rally car. I don't see BMW (who also advertised during the game) making this work. Not every brand appeals to everyone's competitive nature.

Encourage daily interaction. You have to help your driver solve a series of daily clues. Does your game give people reason to check in regularly (aside from spamming them)? This game also features a Leaderboard. Studies indicate that showing rank encourages interaction – you work hard to keep your lead and your work harder to gain the lead.



Does the game educate you about the brand? You want players to learn something without them feeling like they're being taught or preached to.

Is it easy to play? Too many steps will lose people along the way.

Does it stand out? They promoted Rally during the Super Bowl, but making a game stand out on the Internet can be as easy as making a snowflake standout in a blizzard. What will help your game garner attention? Unique gameplay? Social interaction -will you encourage others to play? Are you promoting it in places your target audience will find you? You don't want to just reach out to the masses. You want an audience that will want to play.

Is there cooperative gameplay? Some of the more popular games are contests where people work together toward a common goal and there doesn't even have to be cash or real prizes to encourage them. Look at Farmville, Mafia Wars or World of Warcraft.

Does Ford Focus Rally America have all the elements of a good promotional game? I don't know yet, but I've registered to go along for the ride. Join me www.focusrally.com/invite/1846845907


 

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