Yahoo, Clear Channel, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency teamed up to put giant touch screens in 20 different bus stops in San Francisco. These touch screens allow people, who would normally be stuck waiting for the bus, to play online games against the people at other bus stops. As if getting to play a video game (rather than sitting on a cold bench making awkward conversation with the weirdo next to you) wasn't awesome enough, there is a prize involved. Players get to choose which neighborhood they want to represent, and whichever one has the most points at the end of the promotion will get to host a block party with the band OK Go.
Although this is actually an advertising ploy from Yahoo, I think it's a great thing because they're doing something fun, and non-traditional. What better way to get potential customers' attention than getting them involved in a way that hasn't been done before? They really put research into this advertising idea, because it has its roots in guerrilla marketing, wait marketing, and even viral marketing (proven by the fact that I'm here telling you about it now). I'd like to see more marketing techniques like this in the future.
Read articles at:
Gizmodo
The Examiner
PSFK
5 comments:
That's amazing. The online aspect, plus the prizes, is a great way to reach out to people and seems like a very good advertising technique! Gotta hand it to Yahoo.
This is so awesome, it is like being at home away from home for video game pple, lol, but at the end of the day, some people will forget to take the bus in favor of addictive games.....yoops. Good post.
I love games and dislike being bored. Sounds brilliant! I wonder what kind of games they will have on it.
I agree!
Ely: Haha, sounds like something I would do. Totally miss the bus.
Joel: One of the articles says there are "four games, which range from visual puzzles to sports trivia competitions."
This is one of the most awesome ideas I have seen in a long time. Total fun and if I was playing, I would want my team to win because OK Go is a pretty awesome band!
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