PR and Computer Games – Building Thought Leadership |

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When it comes to new media and the growing influence of computer gaming, is PR ceding ground to marketing? Is gaming a PR no-man’s land or a new frontier?

I ask that question after doing an unscientific search on Google. Typing “social gaming” and PR yielded press releases and phrases like “gaming changing,” “gaming the platform,” and the “expectation game.” On the other hand, typing “social gaming” and marketing generated a slew of postings about marketing’s influence in this space. Either we as PR pros aren’t very good at tagging, or we are not embracing games.

My conclusion – PR has not established itself as a thought leader in the gaming space. And that’s too bad. From community building and brand enhancement to reputation management, PR has a role to play.

That’s certainly the opinion of Scott Schneider at Ruder Finn. He’s an executive vice president and director of interactive, and games are a part of the services his firm offers its clients. Projects have included 1) Picassohead - a take off on the popular children’s toy, Mr. Potatohead, which allows users to create their own Picasso-esque portraits and share them with friends and 2) using the popular game SimCity to promotehe promoting British Petroleum’s green initiatives in SimCity.

When it comes to gaming, PR and marketing have much in common, but there there is an important distinction. When PR gets involved, it is usually about the activity around games. Making news and creating content are key drivers. Our role is to promote games, use games to promote clients, manage communities and find existing games to promote a client’s message.

It doesn’t have to be only promotion. Take the site Games for Change. It is strictly .org. But it’s instructive. It seeks to harness video games to address pressing issues, including poverty, human rights, global conflict and climate change. Serious stuff, and it’s time PR understands gaming’s potential.

Embracing Gaming but Understanding Ground Rules

Games are not releases: As Schneider cautions, don’t confuse games with traditional PR. They are not white papers or press releases by another name. Games are not tactics, and those who think so generally don’t play games. (It’s the same reason why many great books don’t always make great movies. The success of the great book lies in the interface. Its power is often lost in the translation from written word to silver screen.) Games are a new interface, and we need to understand their rules.

The benefit of games is indirect: When it comes to games, corporate messaging must be woven into the experience. You can’t simply insert corporate messages. Games must be engaging and entertaining. For the most part, experiencing the game is the message, and it’s the community of players who spread the word.

Done right games are immersive, viral and potentially transformative. At their best, they create a communal experience that brings people together. The buzz they generate is PR’s reward.

Games are not cheap: Gaming can bust traditional PR budgets. Non complicated games can cost upwards of $50,000 to $100,000 or maybe $40,000 to $60,000 in these recessionary times. And the cost can be hundreds of thousands for more complex games. It costs a lot of money to design, build and maintain them.

Games are not easy: Games require technical skills and knowledge that most PR professionals don’t have. Schneider’s advice: find a partner with gaming experience and more importantly some success under its belt.

Measuring Success: Given the cost to produce a game, ROI is a critical as ever. Certainly eyeballs, the number of conversations, the number of players and buzz are great metrics. Another measurement is determining results based on the cash equivalent of a traditional ad buy. Which served the client better?

If I Were in Charge

flinstones

Need a hypothetical example: Take Flintstones Chewable Vitamins. They are perfect for a PR driven game. (My apologies if one already exists.) A game lends itself to the core audience. It’s experiential, and would be a fun way to promote a message of nutrition, diet and health. And you can build a whole PR campaign around the game, highlighting an innovative social media strategy. And oh by the way, it may sell more vitamins.

In one sense, I have created a false division between PR and marketing. The growing overlap between the two departments is not lost on me. In some cases, PR and marketing can share mission and budget. My point is that PR needs to understand that gaming is gaining wider acceptance within the business world. It provides a whole new way to communicate our message. Asserting thought leadership will go a long way in increasing PR’s influence and value.

Let me get back to you.

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