Omgpop and Zynga are exploring a new monetization angle with popular Pictionary-styled mobile game Draw Something, as companies are purchasing in-game terms for players to draw.
The National Hockey League is one of the first advertisers to join the new ad initiative, as it has bought terms that are related to hockey and its brands, reports Ad Age.
Draw Something has players choose one of three different terms to draw. Friends on Facebook and mobile try to win points by guessing correctly the term the drawer picked. As part of the NHL deal, for example, players will be given the option to draw such terms as "puck," "Zamboni" and "slap shot."
Dan Porter, head of New York-based Draw Something developer Omgpop, said the company tested brands such as Nike, KFC and Doritos in the game. "People loved to draw the Colonel and bags of Doritos," he said.
Honestly I thought this was happening from the very beginning, well before Zynga. At the least, there were many words that were characters from movies in theaters, like Hunger Games.
They might've ported to the Nintendo DS and instantly increased the quality of drawings darting about the network tenfold. The difference between a stylus and a fat finger is night-and-day. Instead, this is what we get. Path of least resistance.
This marketing strategy really is interesting. The potential for this strategy to stick is great for both companies. Zynga saves money on development time by just needing to enter the brand name into the word bank. The Doritos brand gets injected into the player's psyche multiple times. The physical memory of a Dorito is reinforced as the player is made to draw an orange triangle, psychologically implanting the Doritos brand.
This is brilliant psychological marketing on the player base.
Zynga wins big because they get to make advert money while really doing nothing.
But, isn't all advertising just brainwashing?
Tip of the Hat
...errr, would any of you happen to have some Doritos on you?
On the one hand, this is an excellent way to make money. On the other hand, it's schemes like this that hold back the industry from producing truly deep and evocative experiences. I guess it just goes to show where our true priorities lie.
If they didn't, would he say that too?
My friend is really bad at Draw Something.
This is brilliant psychological marketing on the player base.
Zynga wins big because they get to make advert money while really doing nothing.
But, isn't all advertising just brainwashing?
Tip of the Hat
...errr, would any of you happen to have some Doritos on you?
"Non-intrusive advertising"? Making a player draw the ad *as part of the gameplay* sounds like the most intrusive advertising method yet.