Download - Creating digital games for brands
Creating games for brands October 2012
Candyspace delivers cutting edge mobile and multichannel digital solutions.
We do this better than anyone else due to:
• Our extraordinary experience in mobile
• Our deep understanding of today’s multi-device consumer
• Our strategic approach & innovative ideas
• Our cutting edge technical capability and bespoke platforms
• Everything we do is developed in-house – we never outsource
The result = Technically feasible creative ideas that deeply engage consumers across channels
What we do Candyspace Offering
Mobile and digital solutions that help clients:
• Drive sales • Brand awareness & immersion • Launch products & services • Enhance content propositions • Educate consumers
All Technologies: PHP, .NET, HTML 5, CSS3, Flash, Flex and Java. Native mobile & desktop – iOS, Java, Android, Symbian & Air.
Optimised for all web browsers and over 7000 mobile devices.
Our Solutions Candyspace Offering
What are talking about?
• “Adding gaming elements to marketing campaigns”
Why should brands do it?
• Leverages basic human desires: reward, status, achievement, self-expression & competition
• Great way to get customers to engage with brands – on their terms
• Very high dwell time
• Cut-through
• The viral effect / utilising customers’ social networks for brand activity
• Boost impact of media
Why create a game? Candyspace
Our best games…
Virgin Media TV Taking fans on an epic treasure-hunt, blending realities and delivering a supernatural experience
• Supernatural had an established TV
show on ITV2 for 4 seasons
• Living TV bought it for seasons 5&6
Background Supernatural
1. Migrate fans
2. Fuel viewing
Our challenge Candyspace
• Supernatural fans live and breathe their
passion online
- We needed to tap into these existing
behaviours
- Give fans a unique experience
- Show them we really understand the show
Insight Supernatural
Share their obsession!
1. Prove that we are obsessive
2. Shout about it
Comms strategy The strategy
We created an ARG (Fight the Apocalypse) with the ultimate prize
• We created competitive armies of obsessed fans
• Launched a nationwide treasure hunt for hidden symbols
• Players could play online or via their mobiles
Our solution Overview
• Fight the Apocalypse was closely tied the storyline
- Use of Enochian Sigils
- Building armies to help in fight vs. Lucifer
• Worked with the talent
- Clues, content distributed via microsite
– Use of
Immersing fans in the show Developing the plot
Main game actions (via dedicated microsite):
• Create an army & build profile
• Recruit friends
• Form alliances to gain points
• Collect sigils via fans’ mobiles
• Listen to clues from Angel Castiel
• Take knowledge quiz to prove dedication
Game overview Developing the plot
The microsite
Advanced mapping technology
Manage Alliances
Sigil Collection
Build Army Players could recruit friends to join their army by email, text and Facebook.
Clue Portal feed The latest clues were incorporated in the dashboard, allowing all functions to be carried out from one place.
Knowledge is Strength quiz Launched half way through the campaign to find most dedicated fans
• Sigils formed the core currency of the game
• Players needed to find & collect 25 unique sigils via MMS
Enochian Sigils A trail of discovery
Online TV Print Real world
Various online sites & blogs, forums, fan sites
including SFX, AOL, YouTube, Digital Spy,
Supernaturalfans.co.uk, Flickr, Bizarre
TV spots running on Living TV to remind fans that the show had moved
to a new home
Various press titles including Metro
Including haunted house we created, cemeteries &
other spooky locations
Unprecedented uptake Initial results
• The clue portal was one of the most exciting features of the ARG. Candyspace worked with Warner Bros’ scriptwriters to ensure scripts were on character
• Clues were released the portal through the game in video & text format
Using content to enhance the ARG Clues & content
Lucifer’s warning to the UK
Angel Castiel’s video clues
We created a video with Lucifer to seed the game and create
anticipation
Angel (Mischa Collins) filmed 10 video clues to guide fans
towards the Sigils
Fan clues
We engaged UK’s most dedicated fans to record one-off special clues for the game
Social – the glue of the game Clues & content
Main communication channel for the game • Clue updates released via
official ARG Twitter • Fans used channel to discuss
all things Fight the Apocalypse
Incorporated into build army mechanic • Players able to invite friends
via FB Connect • Players used FB to create
their own campaigns & promote own armies
• (One person even threw a party, promoted on FB to get new recruits)
Fan forums
Fans had created forums just to discuss and collaborate on the game.
• Find new friends to ally with
• Swap Sigils • Discuss and speculate on
the next clue to be released
Some fan comments
The Grand Finale Real world activity
We hosted a real-world grand finale staged at The Mall:
• The car with the final sigil with a special 1st find bonus of
5m points
• Fans for given clues about the final link in the chain
during the week leading up to the event
• The clue to the car’s location was released in the form of
a riddle at 1pm distributed via Twitter, SMS & the mobile
site
It worked! The results
• Audience figures exceeded ITV2’s peak
• 16,000 armies created
• Average dwell time @ 14mins
• New audience brought in
- 29% not watched it before
• Supernatural viewers watched other Living
TV shows
Nintendo Coin Rush Unleashing a real world hunt for gamers
• Latest version of a successful
franchise on new piece of
hardware (3DS)
• Large existing Facebook
community
Background Nintendo Coin rush
1. Drive conversation/involvement with latest version of franchise
2. Engage existing fans online & in real world
3. Drive sales & pre-orders (h/w & s/w)
The challenge Nintendo Coin rush
We devised a digital treasure hunt to captivate and engage
fans. Fans needed to collect coin codes that were hidden online
& in the real world
• Gameplay was carried out via a dedicated Facebook App
that could be played on web and mobile
• Coin codes were sporadically delivered via online & offline
channels for fans to hunt down
Our solution Nintendo Coin rush
• Players needed to collect coin codes that were hidden online & in the real world to win prizes
Finding coins Channels
Paid channels
Various sites, blogs & fan forums. Formats included video, banners &
editorial features (e.g. in IGN)
Owned channels
Use of Nintendo UK’s sites including Official Nintendo
Magazine & UK site
Real world
Codes hidden at Nintendo events & GAME stores across UK
Earned channels
Extensive use of Twitter & FB to distribute clues, content & codes. Facebook acted a central hub for
activity
Collecting coins Nintendo Coin rush
• Players installed the Coin Rush Facebook App and submitted codes they found
• The App could be viewable online and via players’ mobiles
• The more coins they collected, the better the prizes they received!
Results Nintendo Coin rush
• Game generated fantastic buzz for
Nintendo’s new release
• 20% increase in Facebook Likes on
NUK’s 3DS channel
• 25% conversion rate on FB shares
• 25,000 codes redeemed
Insight from campaign Nintendo Coin rush
• High number of low level prizes drive interactions (perceived
to be more achievable)
• People will do anything to win
- Need robust plans around how do deal with cheats
(before game kicks off)
• Short, quick burst of activity worked
Final thoughts
• Know your audience
• Keep gameplay simple
• Promotion strategy is key
• Add in real-world interaction (content/events)
• Prepare messaging strategy (customer support, ‘challenges’)
• Factor in lots of time (2-3 months standard)
Key things to remember Candyspace
Nick Shadbolt
Account Director
candyspace media ltd
4 Turnham Green Terrace Mews
London
W4 1 QU
Nick.shadbolt[at]candyspace.com
Thank you! Keep in touch