In this column we've had a decent run of casual games that were built for the sheer fun of it, so it's probably time to get back on topic and talk advertising.
Successful branded viral games are tough to build as there is a really difficult balance that must be maintained. It's fairly easy to make a decent game with no marketing message. It's also fairly easy to make something that has a compelling brand message but completely overshadows any game element.
Traditional ad agencies, who have in the past relied heavily on media spend to get their message in front of consumers, often fall foul of this and create something that isn't strictly an advergame and more just an advert.
This week's game promoting Post-It notes manages to maintain the balance of game and ad perfectly and doesn't wimp out by creating a decent game with a subtle call-to-action tagged on the end either. It takes a popular board game format online and wraps a product seamlessly around it. Created by Inbox Digital for 3M Post-its, this multiplayer application allows gamers to compete in a slick, digital version of Pictionary.
The game has been around for a few months now and with over 145,091 registered users it's still as busy as ever. Real time multiplayer stuff can be a bit of a handful to deliver and the fact that I am plugging work by one of our main competitors is a testament to how good a piece of work it is.
Revolution's Game of the Week: Post-It Game
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