Viral games for hire from Contagion Media

Sometimes viral marketing needs no help, it snowballs in popularity and before you know it your YouTube video or flash-based game has gone viral. However, the whole production process can be expensive and worse still, viral success is far from guaranteed.

by Helen Leggatt

Enter Contagion Media who, this month, are launching what they describe as a "revolutionary web service" that will enable any organization, big or small, to create viral marketing campaigns using Flash/Java-based games.

"Viral games or adver-games are expensive to create, requiring the input of specialist Java/Flash programmers," said Stuart Forrester, Contagion CEO, via BrandRepbulic.com. "Typically no agency keeps this type of programmer on staff, and so a simple game can cost many thousands to produce in contractor's fees."

Stuart Forrester and Richard Summers, experienced marketers and co-founders of UK-based Contagion Media, believe they have hit on the perfect way for small- to medium-sized companies to take advantage of the power of viral marketing but without the big outlay.

Their solution consists of a menu of flash games that marketers can rent and customize for digital campaigns. Artwork can be uploaded and add-ons managed. These extras would normally take considerable time and funding to develop and include features such as prize pyramids, tournaments and multi-player games.

Branding a game and sending it on its way isn't the be all and end all. Marketers must ensure the content connects with the recipient, whether by entertainment or emotion, and most of all it must be unrestricted in its ability to be shared across multiple channels.

Despite reported spending cutbacks, many ad agencies and media buying executives plan on increasing spending on viral video marketing in 2008, according to a recent report by Feed Company.

Tags: adver-games, Contagion Media, flash games, multi-player games, viral games, viral marketing, viral video