Social Entertainment 7

Learning Objectives (1) How can social media marketers use social entertainment to meet branding objectives? What are the types of social entertainment? Why is social entertainment an effective approach for engaging target audiences? What is branded entertainment? How is it distinguished from content marketing used in social publishing? Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

Learning Objectives (2) What are the characteristics of social games and gamer segments? How can marketers effectively use social games? How are alternate reality games different from other social games? In what ways are marketers using social music, social television, and social celebrity to share brand messaging? Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

Branded entertainment Brands can create owned vehicles of social entertainment by creating branded content (a category of branded entertainment) whether it be games, music, or film. This option is known as ________ Branded entertainment

How are Netflix Originals related to social media? The Netflix Social Sharing app enables viewers to share and discuss what they’re watching in Facebook.

Power, identity, fantasy and frivolity Play and the motivations for individuals to participate include what four aspects of play? Power, identity, fantasy and frivolity

________ make up the largest active area of social entertainment. Social games

We define a ___________ as a multiplayer, competitive, goal-oriented activity with defined rules of engagement and online connectivity among a community of players. Social game

Estimates suggest that 32% of the time people spend on a smartphone is dedicated to ___________ Game play

Overall games exhibit a high degree of _______, describes the ability of a medium to attract an audience and keep that audience. stickiness

A ______________ refers to the hardware systems on which the game is played. Game platform

__________ refers to the way the game world is experienced, while _________ describes the visual nature of the game, such as science fiction, fantasy, horror, and retro. Mode / milieu

RPG stands for ________ and MMPORPG stands for ________. Role playing games / massive multi-player online role playing games

A(n) _________ is a game that delivers a branded message, compared to a(n) ________ that is integrated into a game’s environment as billboards, movie posters, etc. Advergame / display ad

______ ads are hard-coded into the game and ensure that all players view the advertising, while _____ ads are variable; they change based on specified criteria. Static / dynamic

_________ is the idea that there are way too many games out there that compete for players’ attention. Game clutter

ARGs are _________________ Alternate reality games

Game characters, events, places, and plot are imagined and explored by the game writers of ARGs, known as ___________ Puppet masters

Social Entertainment Zone Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

Social Entertainment Social entertainment encompasses the digital and social forms of entertainment media. Social games Casual, social games Socially-enabled video games Alternate reality games (ARGs) Social music Social television Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

What is Social Branded Entertainment? When brands create owned vehicles of branded content, in the form of games, music, or film, which is participatory and shareable via digital connections, that is social branded entertainment.

Social Entertainment as Play Play as power Play as identity Play as fantasy Play as frivolity

What is a Social Game? Social games are multiplayer, competitive, goal-oriented activities with defined rules of engagement and online connectivity among players.

What is a Social Game? Social games are multiplayer, competitive, goal-oriented activities with defined rules of engagement and online connectivity among players.

Typical Elements of Social Games Leaderboards Achievement badges Friend lists

Gamer Segments Casual Hardcore

How Can We Characterize Social Games? Platform Mode Milieu Genre Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

Simulation Action Role-Playing Strategy Genres Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

Options for Game-Based Marketing In-game advertising Product placement Brand integration Advergames Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

For Discussion: Is Water the Enemy? Gatorade’s Bolt game portrayed water as the enemy. The game met its objectives, achieving 2 million downloads, 87 million plays, and millions of brand impressions. While illustrating the value of social advergames, did it cross a line? Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

Why Do Social Games Work For Marketers? Gamers are open to advertising content in games. Brands benefit when they associate with a successful game. Players identify with the brands their characters use, increasing brand involvement. Branding within a game’s story is an unobtrusive way to share a brand’s core message. Targeting to specific groups is possible. Marketers can measure a game’s promotional value. Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

ARGs: An Intensive Form of Social Game An ARG is a cross-media genre of interactive fiction using multiple delivery and communications media, which may include traditional media such as television, radio, newspapers, and postal service and digital media. Social Media Marketing, 2e© © Tracy L. Tuten and Michael R. Solomon 2015

The Vocabulary of ARGs Puppet master: The authors, architects, and managers of the story and its scenarios and puzzles. Curtain: The invisible line separating the players from the puppet masters. Rabbit hole: The clue or site that initiates the game. Collective detective: A term that captures the notion of collaboration among a team of geographically dispersed players who work together to flesh out the story.

The Vocabulary of ARGs Lurkers and rubberneckers: Lurkers follow the game but do not actively participate; rubberneckers participate in forums but do not actively play. Steganography: The tactic of hiding messages within another medium so that the message is undetectable for those who do not know to look for it. Trail: A reference index of the game including relevant sites, puzzles, in-game characters, and other information.

How Can We Evaluate the Effectiveness of an ARG? Number of active players Number of lurkers and rubberneckers Rate of player registration Number of player messages generated Traffic at sites affiliated with the ARG Number of forum postings Average play time Media impressions made through ARG-generated publicity

For Discussion: Disney’s The Optimist Explore The Optimist’s main character, Amalia, using her Twitter account, @storyorbit, or other summaries of the story. Is it compelling? Does it involve you in the Disney brand?

Other Forms of Social Entertainment Social Music Social Television

Options for Marketing with Social Music In-Network Advertising Social music is primarily based around cloud services providing streamed sound. Brands can include many types of ads on social music sites, including audio ads, display ads, billboard ads Immersive Branding ->

Options for Marketing with Social Music Immersive Branding A more integrated option Recent examples include branded playlists and branded microsites that focus around artists or styles of music that target markets value.

Social TV Social TV is technology that supports communication and social interaction in either the context of watching television or related to TV content. The experience of watching TV is enhanced by social media. The phenomenon relates to social celebrity and the rise of “microcelebrities”. GetGlue -> Tvtag -> gone

Recap and Questions (1) How can social media marketers use social entertainment to meet branding objectives? What are the types of social entertainment? Why is social entertainment an effective approach for engaging target audiences? What is branded entertainment? How is it distinguished from content marketing used in social publishing?

Recap and Questions (2) What are the characteristics of social games and gamer segments? How can marketers effectively use social games? How are alternate reality games different from other social games? In what ways are marketers using social music, social television, and social celebrity to share brand messaging?