Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck in Social Games Advertising

Chris Cummings, Lycos

Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck in Social Games Advertising

Hi, my name is Chris

Manage Lycos' portfolio of games & community products

Includes Gamesville, Tripod, Angelfire, white label solutions

Prior to Lycos, oversaw development of gaming & customer

acquisition programs for regulated, land-based casinos in US, UK

Follow Social Media & Community 2.0 Strategies on Twitter @community20 - Join the conversation with #socialc20

Director of Product Management, [email protected]@chriscummings01

What is a social game?

An opportunity to creatively tap into the player’s social graphThis is about friends and acquaintances, not strangers; peer pressure

Delayed gratificationAccomplish a task now, get your reward in the future; appointment gaming

Incentivizing players to recruit on your behalfYour game experience gets richer if more of your friends play the game, too; viral


Social games are big

Of approx 60 million targetable game players, US represents 74%

That’s a lot of volume!

“Targetable” game players is different from total game players

Facebook ads target users who “like” the game, not all of users

Source: Adparlor


And that’s just Facebook…


Social games are big business

Social games to attract $293 million in advertising spend in 2011

Up from $220 million in 2010

$4.3 billion to be spent worldwide on social networks in 2011

29% increase over 2010

Source: eMarketer


Ad Spending on Social Games & Applications

Beyond display ads and lead generation, how are advertisers using social games to achieve marketing objectives?


Sponsorships

Source: Mall World


Branded Virtual Goods

Source: Wee World


Branded Games

Source: Social Times


Promo Codes

Source: Social Times


Let’s look at three recentcase studies


Green Giant's Farmville Cash

Source: Mashable


Overview: Drive real-world produce sales via virtual farm items.

Results: Over 100,000 in Farm Cash was given away as part of the six week pilot program

Started in select Target stores but soon expanded to over 4,000 stores nationwide

"It's been a great opportunity to modernize our communication channels to consumers. " - Michalin Modena, Green Giant Fresh marketing manager

Honda CR-Z in Car Town

Source: Mashable, Car Town Addicts


Overview: Promote the US launch of the Honda CR-Z in Car Town via billboards, video, virtual cars.

Results: Only 3 million users to start -- but highly targeted.

Users “purchase” the car in-game -- and keep it beyond promotion.

Toyota followed suit with Prius campaign in January 2011.

“With Car Town, participants can engage with and experience Honda in a fun and casual environment that’s not overtly commercial.”- Steven Carter, American Honda Vice President marketing

Charles Chocolates & Chocolatier: Sweet Society

Source: SF Weekly


Overview: Players can order and send an actual box of Charles Chocolates confections to friends (or themselves) after unlocking the recipes in their virtual factories.

Results: The first time a virtual good has been “made” on Facebook and then been transformed into a real-world good…

3 rules for a successful ad integration


Rule #1: Be Relevant

The integration should feel natural -- in terms of game and audienceWill the people playing the game feel at home with you in their “home”?

Take advantage of what you know about the game audienceCustomize according to demographics and other user data

Create a sense of urgencyDemands immediate action while drawing attention to your brand


Rule 2: Bring Value

Offer players something that helps them in the game

Branded items are nice… but they’re better if their useful

Let branded items persist beyond the actual campaign period

Cars, hot air balloons, etc. all function as effective reminders

Benefits can come in multiple different forms

Virtual currency, items that provide a competitive edge -- help them win!


Rule #3: Don’t Interfere!

To be successful, make yourself optionalIf players feel coerced into paying attention to you, you’re going to lose

Be low frictionMake it fast, make it easy… short videos, short surveys, etc.

Be compellingMake them choose to pursue you and engagement will soar


And don’t forget…


Return on investment

1. Establish a baseline before you begin -- what’s the current trend?

2. Create an activity timeline (month by month).

3. Monitor volume of mentions (positive & negative), likes, video views.

4. Measure sales revenue & number of transacting customers.

5. Overlay your data into a single timeline -- look for new patterns!


To get the most bang for your buck…

Be relevantDoes your brand have a natural affinity with the game, the audience?

Bring valueHelp them win… and leave behind something worthwhile for them to enjoy

Don’t interfereOnly interrupt the game with advertising content when it’s requested

Remember the ROITrack video views, Likes, mentions etc., to see how they translate into ROI


Thank you!

Questions?Twitter: @chriscummings01Web: gamesville.com christophercummings.com

Additional resourceshttp://www.insidesocialgames.comhttp://blog.games.com/http://www.appdata.com/


http://www.insidesocialgames.com/

http://blog.games.com/

http://www.appdata.com/

Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck in Social Games Advertising

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