Organizations are used to using media such as radio, television and internet in their marketing and campaigns. In recent years games as medium have experienced a stormy development. Marketers also see this and look for opportunities to use games in campaigns. Because of the success of the iPhone and other smartphones, the app stores also offer plenty of opportunities.
But how do you handle that?
What is involved if you want to use a game in the campaign? Here you get ten tips from experienced game developers.
Tip 1: Provide a tight strategy, or a gaming son
The most common mistake of companies that want to release a game for their brand in the App Store is that there is no clear strategy about what exactly wants to be realized. Furthermore, there is often no clear user in mind. If these things are missing, it is difficult to release a successful game. Although the importance of a careful strategy is large, in practice it is often different and sometimes an unplanned approach can also be successful.
Tip 2: Support the brand experience in a creative way
There are now many branded games that have been released on behalf of a brand. Nevertheless, not all those games are a success. An example of a game that is well worked out is Red Bull X-fighters. This game, in which motor stunts are central, fits in well with the experience of action that the brand wants to put down. An application that is clearly less well established is Vogue stylist, where there are few interaction possibilities for the user, so that the app gets bored quickly.
Tip 3: Technique or social interaction? Make clear choices
Due to the extensive technical possibilities of games in general and games on the phone in particular, many features are usable. It is important to make a logical choice in this, and often the necessary creativity is required. Many games are successful because of simple technical choices, because they make optimal use of social opportunities. For example, gamers can simply point to new games to play this winter to raise a score. Technically, the game is not advanced, but because of the fun social interactions such a game is still a great success. It is often up to the developer of the game to make a good move. Marketers often do not oversee such choices and are less aware of the consequences of choices for the ultimate gameplay. However, marketers can carefully test whether concepts meet the brand experience they want to realize with the game.
Tip 4: Learn how the development process works
How is it as a developer to work for a large brand? For example, they have no idea what costs are involved with a game. A simple game can be made from about $ 25,000, but developing a good game usually amounts to a six-figure budget, starting from $ 100,000. It is important not only to think about the costs of development, but also to take into account seeding for the game. This can be done through other games from a developer, by giving online attention to a game, or by including the game in campaigns of the brand. But it is too naïve to think that after the upload in the App Store or on the internet, a game is automatically known.
Tip 5: Decide who will become the owner of the source code
Currently, major brands are often unaware of the rights to the source code of their game. Many brands want a game that has been specially developed for them and will finance the entire development process. Yet these A-brands rarely ask for the rights or source code on a game. For developers there is a chance, they can offer a game again with small variations. For A-brands, it is an important lesson: think beforehand how you want to deal with rights to code of your games. It may be useful to take ownership of the property yourself in order not to be stuck to one developer in the future.
Tip 6: There is more than just an hourly invoice
Most developers still make a game on an hourly basis, although some would prefer to work on a revenue basis. Unfortunately, the marketers are hesitant about this. They often have a fixed marketing budget and are cautious with flexible agreements that they do not know how high the costs will be. Even though costs are only high for a great success of the game (and high revenues), marketers do not want this yet. Nevertheless, there are also opportunities here. If the success of a game is shared between the developer and the brand, then a developer may show more involvement in creating and marketing a game, which increases your chances of success.
Tip 7: Use the experience of your game developer
Marketers and communication specialists pay attention! Do you want to make your website easier to find? Follow an education! It is the experience of all developers that marketers need to be taken care of, not only in the choices for making a game, but also in its release. For example, big brands have no experience with their own developers account in the App Store and they cannot upload the game themselves or provide good keywords. Also offering a game online via a browser is relatively new for many brands.
Tip 8: Do not make a game
There are many different ways for A-brands to ‘do something with games’. In addition to developing your own game, it is also perfectly possible to advertise in a game that has not been specially developed for your brand. Think, for example, of billboards within a sports game. It is also possible to buy play space within a game or ecosystem around a game.
Tip 9: Take the opportunities that are available now
The market for advertising on television is currently under heavy pressure because so many competing channels have been created. All these media change our behavior and nobody knows what the future will bring. What is currently irrefutably on the rise is the simple casual games and games on the mobile. Developers see that mobile casual and social games are popular and that more and more brands are throwing themselves into this.
Tip 10: Know what is going on!
Because of the great opportunities there are, more and more brands are considering to use games in their own campaigns. An important driver of this success are the large numbers of downloads, where playing time is often relatively long. Compare that with decreasing viewing and listening figures and you understand the interest of marketers for games. It is clear that the use of games in campaigns is still completely new for many people. Meanwhile, however, there are more and more game developers who specialize in this game.
With the 10 tips above, you can better use the games for your campaign.
