Online approval – effluenza
People are more than happy to pay for goods to boost their online social standing. Expensive isn’t a consequence it is the reason for the purchase. Now the exploitation of our weakness for social approval / recognition has moved online.
Social gaming increasingly provides the facility to buy virtual goods / weapons in order to pursue our online game objective. In fact some games have gone so far as to create their own currencies, eg:
- Clash of Clans – Gems
- Simpsons Tapped Out – Donuts
- Smurf Village – Smurfberries
The question is whether there is an opportunity to sell virtual goods to your market, particularly where your market comprises consumers susceptible to social status pressure.
Maybe create an online game that appeals to the status needs of your target market? But possibly it’s too late for your organisation to play catch up in a relatively mature gaming market. So the next best thing is to perhaps negotiate loyalty discounts in the established games arena.
So imagine British Airways having an arrangement with the makers of Smurf Village to ensure that the children of its loyal travellers can acquire half price Smurfberries. Or where ‘air miles’ could be redeemed for virtual donuts?
As the eyeballs move from TV and other media to online games, it may make sense to cultivate some virtual brand association.
This is an opportunity for smart marketers. Who knows they might even use the proceeds of their virtual advisory services to buy a Second Life holiday home!
