The games brands play

Brands playing games? Well, forget for once about pulling in as many eyeballs as possible, this is all about engagement. And it’s why McDonald’s opened a farm and American Express is facilitating deals on FarmVille. It’s why Discovery Channel rolled out a game for the Deadliest Catch TV show, and Barclays launched the 56 Sage Street online gaming experience. Not to mention all those brands developing apps to get consumers in the games zone.

Gaming the brand isn’t child’s play, though, and marketers need to know the rules of engagement:

• What does gaming do for the brand?
• Is now the time for that games app?
• What’s so special about social gaming?
• How can brands be part of the gameplay?
• Is gaming right for your brand?

To address these issues – and more – we’ve recruited a gang of practitioners to come along to our event at the IAB in central London on 16th February 2011 to talk about The games brands play. Our speakers will make the case for brand-games collaborations, showcase their gaming successes, and pretty much deliver the rules of engagement for this kind of branded entertainment.

As well as delivering short, sharp and savvy presentations, our panel of movers and shakers will engage in a healthy dose of meaningful conversation with each other, and with the audience. All of which means that attendees of brand-e’s The games brands play should be left in no doubt as to what it takes to game along with consumers.

Presenters include:
Helen Copnall of Microsoft Advertising on the evolution of gaming and how to play the game
Miquel Andres-Clavera of JWT on developing powerful comms
Gilles Storme of RockYou! on reaching social gamers
Paul Armstrong of Mindshare looks at why brands play
Jeff Coghlan of Matmi talks about how branded games perform against traditional advertising
Margaret Robertson of Hide&Seek on new kinds of play
Max Willey of BDRC Continental presenting exclusive findings about brand impacts in social gaming