McDonald’s and Zynga announced a first-of-its-kind campaign within FarmVille, the most popular social game. Today, McDonald’s will have its own farm in FarmVille, where players will have the chance to interact with and receive unique rewards.
“Joining forces with FarmVille is an incredible opportunity
for us to engage with millions of players in the most popular social game,” says Anja Carroll, director of media for McDonald’s USA. “What makes our FarmVille effort unique is that it reinforces important features of the McDonald’s brand while enhancing game play for FarmVille players.”
“Our mission is to connect the world through games by offering consumers meaningful experiences that enhance their game play,” says Manny Anekal, global director of brand advertising at Zynga. “Tens of millions of people play FarmVille daily and this unique campaign with McDonald’s, one of the most recognized brands in the world, further strengthens our commitment to delivering high quality in-game brand experiences.”
Led by appssavvy, in partnership with the Chicago office of OMD, the McDonald’s FarmVille special event promotion features a McDonald’s Farm, which, during the one-day event, will be highlighted to players as a “Neighbor Farm” that players can interact with from their own farms. Players visiting the McDonald’s Farm can help by growing tomato and mustard seed crops.
The McCafe FarmVille Consumable, a valuable item (virtual good) that makes game-play easier, will be rewarded to players. The McCafe Consumable delivers energy to players to move about their farms at twice the speed.
Finally, players helping out on the McDonald’s Farm will earn a virtual McDonald’s Hot Air Balloon to decorate their personal farm.
“McDonald’s on FarmVille represents the rethinking of the delivery and reception of advertising,” says Chris Cunningham, cofounder and CEO of appssavvy. “Today it is about understanding the social activity taking place and only then figuring out a way to join relevantly through value-added marketing, which McDonald’s has done to perfection.”
The McDonald’s farm on FarmVille also features many McDonald’s initiatives, including the launch this week of the 2010 Monopoly Game and McCafe, as well as long-standing McDonald’s mainstays, such as a Sesame Seed Bakery representing its buns and Dairy Farm for milk products.
