Marketing Advice for a Unique Selling Point and tapping into specific markets

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by Anomalous Interactive, Jun 16, 2011.

  1. Anomalous Interactive

    Anomalous Interactive Well-Known Member

    Apr 5, 2011
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    We are getting to ready to re-launch our game, Slingshot Justice (previously Homemade Shooter) and we are in need of some marketing advice.

    We've identified our Unique Selling Point as a '5th Grade Vigilante's fight against bullies to protect the innocent' and we have pushed this theme as hard as we can through our game's identification:

    Title Screen:
    [​IMG]

    Icon:
    [​IMG]

    Bully Characters:
    [​IMG]

    So obviously are game identifies with bullying and anti-bullying. What we would really like to tap into the consciousness online about bullying so that we can be selling our game to people who would Love to shoot bullies with Slingshots.

    We are rather stuck for ideas of how to do this successful as most bullying websites and portals are school/kids websites that don't have anything to do with iPhones or gaming.

    Basically we would like to create a presence amongst people who would identify with anti-bullying and would like to play a fun little game where you shoot bullies with a slingshot but we are not sure how to create that presence....

    any advice would be terrific cheers!
     
  2. BigEyeGuy

    BigEyeGuy Well-Known Member

    Feb 15, 2011
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    Up until last month the biggest thing in the bully world was - Casey The Bully Head Slammer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvFal2cnyKE

    Im not sure what can you do with this, but maybe you can work him into the game somehow or just his name.
     
  3. Anomalous Interactive

    Anomalous Interactive Well-Known Member

    Apr 5, 2011
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    Yeah we're attempting that, I asked them directly if it was ok for us to make an OpenFeint Achievement a tribute to Casey, such as "The Casey Slammer Shot".

    They've gotten back to us asking for commission...

    You try to do the right thing and ask for permission and karma doesn't work in your favour haha
     
  4. JTown

    JTown Well-Known Member

    Jun 11, 2011
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    Independent GameDev
    Dallas, TX
    Be more creative -- name it something like "Don't pick on someone who can pick you up"

    No need to pay me royalties for that :p
     
  5. It's a great idea highlighting bullying and putting it into a game, but for me I'd want schools, councillors and parents to get on board and really help promote it as these are the people it affects the most (as well as the child). It does however raise a number of issues:

    The above people would find it difficult to support the game as its premiss suggests that you should use violence as a way of resolving conflicts. In my opinion it also suggests that you should take matters into your own hands and dish out "slingshot justice" as a means of solving the problem. I would imagine that this is the last thing schools etc would want.

    Is their anywhere in the game that tells people what to do if they are being bullied? This would make it easier for schools to come on board with if you used it as an educational tool. I would also ensure that their's lots of messages in the game and on the menus that are anti-bullying and say bullying is wrong etc.

    With regards to the violence issue, what happens when the bullies are struck by the slingshot? I'd soften this/take it out of the equation by making it "cartoon violence" where nothing really bad happens to the bully who's hit but he changes into, say a plucked chicken perhaps? This would ensure that children knew the game isn't real and advocates violence, the humour would make the person playing feel better and it would show them that deep down, all bullies are chicken underneath. A good positive message. If you linked that with information about the correct things to do, IMO you'd have a powerful message and a great selling point.

    Finally I'd also have a look at the name again. Using the term "justice" I feel is a little too strong. For me, it says justice = revenge and therefore violence etc is ok. One thing you could ill afford is the potential that a child being bullied plays the game, thinks that revenge is ok, gets an actual slingshot and does to the bullies what he/she's been doing to them in the game. I'd suggest that you have to be very careful, especially when dealing with young children who are in a difficult situation.

    Anyway, just my thoughts. Hope some of it helps.
     
  6. Anomalous Interactive

    Anomalous Interactive Well-Known Member

    Apr 5, 2011
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    Always appreciative of your thoughts BlueSpiral!

    Anti-bullying messages and themes about correct ways to deal with bullies is something we definitely overlooked.

    All that happens when you shoot a bully is that they fall down. We don't have much more resources (time and performance) to do much else than that unfortunately.

    You've already seen what fun we've had with changing our name haha, we were pretty happy with Slingshot Justice but I can agree with your point. However, I don't think and I am hoping that no users will go out and exact out their own vengeance. The point is that you can do it in our game and not in real life which is what makes video games fun. Hell thats the best thing about Grand Theft Auto.

    I think definately promoting proper ways of dealing with bullies in our app could gather the right attention from schools, parents and etc
     
  7. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
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    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    hmm.. you could make them look suspiciously like Nelson and Carny from "The Simpsons" (eccch, this is the second time this week I have promoted blatantly ripping off some element of a much larger IP in the forum, I feel...so.. dirty!!)

    You could name the game something very controversial-sounding "Bully Killer"

    Or you could simply play up the bully riding the tricycle somehow, that guy catches my eye "wha??"

    Anyway, I am partial to "Schoolyard Beatdown" but that's just me..

    Last thought, I don't think there's (technically) a trademark on "Little Zangief" and Capcom are due for a little comeuppance after so blatantly "borrowing" from 'Splosion Man, hey I am just saying ;)
     

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