The company used Twitter (Twitter), Facebook (Facebook) and e-mail lists to promote the campaign, promising the in-game weapon to players who would text “WEAPON” to 44144*. When a player complied, he or she subscribed to the mobile marketing list and was given a code to unlock the item in the game. Ubisoft saw its mobile subscriptions triple after the promotion went live, and it’s planning to try to repeat its success with the upcoming Prince of Persia game.

The campaign was handled by Waterfall Mobile, the same company that was behind the mobile messaging campaign for the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove. That was the campaign that got attention when the filmmakers held up a sign with the campaign’s texting number on the air during the Oscar awards ceremony.

These text messaging campaigns are a segment of new media marketing that hasn’t gotten much attention until recently. Do you think this is a good way to promote content and products, or are the Splinter Cell players unsubscribing the minute they have their new weapons?

Zynga makes its money getting users addicted to games such as Farmville and Fishville, and then selling them “virtual goods” that make those games easier.

The games are also made easier when a player can get another Facebook friend to sign up and build his or her own farm. This introduces an element of social pressure which makes the games more addictive and more viral.

SUNY Professor A. J. Patrick Liszkiewicz puts it this way:

The secret to Farmville’s popularity is neither gameplay nor aesthetics. Farmville is popular because in entangles users in a web of social obligations. When users log into Facebook, they are reminded that their neighbors have sent them gifts, posted bonuses on their walls, and helped with each others’ farms. In turn, they are obligated to return the courtesies. As the French sociologist Marcel Mauss tells us, gifts are never free: they bind the giver and receiver in a loop of reciprocity. It is rude to refuse a gift, and ruder still to not return the kindness.[11] We play Farmville, then, because we are trying to be good to one another. We play Farmville because we are polite, cultivated people.

As you can tell by the SharesPost chart below, it’s a genius formula that many Facebook gamesmakers are trying, but failing, to replicate.

It’s all there — Pacman, Tetris, Arkanoid. Once-friendly, familiar characters wreak havoc on the buildings, streets and cars of New York. The video was created by Patrick Jean from the Paris-based special effect studio One More Production, and the production level is nothing short of amazing. See for yourself.

PIXELS by PATRICK JEAN.
Uploaded by onemoreprod. – Independent web videos.

The Muppets have been tearing up the Internet of late, with covers of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Ringing the Bells,” as well as their own iPhone app and Beaker’s musical take on YouTube (YouTube) commenters. And, from the looks of things, these furry icons are showing no signs of slowing down.

The competition was announced in December 2009 as a way for citizens to show pride in their hometowns by creating detailed 3D models of their communities. The contest also served as a cheap way to add more 3D content to Google Earth (Google Earth) and as a nice platform for showcasing the capabilities of two Google (Google) 3D modeling tools: SketchUp (a 2006 acquisition) and Building Maker (a Google product launched in fall 2009).

Teams in Barranco, Lima, Peru; Braunschweig, Niedersachsen, Germany; Donostia-San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain; Dursley, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom; and West Palm Beach, Florida, United States have all made the cut. It’s interesting to note that the Spanish team is the only entrant with multiple contributing members; every other town modeled was a solo project.

Users will have until May 1, 2010, to cast their votes for the best-modeled town. To help you decide, each entry comes with a one-minute demo video, a KML file of models in Google Earth, a showcase of the models in Google’s 3D Warehouse and a gallery of real-world photographs from each team — presumably to allow non-residents to judge the accuracy of the 3D models. The winner will be announced on or around May 15.

The prep and landing special would arrive to our screen this XMAS on ABC.

“LANNY AND WAYNE THE CHRISTMAS ELVES IN PREP & LANDING” TO PREMIERE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK
Released by ABC
[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]

“LANNY AND WAYNE THE CHRISTMAS ELVES IN PREP & LANDING,” ABC’S FIRST TV SPECIAL PRODUCED BY WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS, TO PREMIERE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK

Half-Hour Holiday Special Tells Story of the Elite Unit of Elves Who Prepare Homes for Christmas Eve Visit from Santa Claus

Voices of the Elves Include Dave Foley, Sarah Chalke and Derek Richardson

Academy Award-Winning John Lasseter is Executive Producer

“Lanny and Wayne the Christmas Elves in Prep & Landing,” ABC’s first television special produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, will air TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 (8:30-9:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The half-hour holiday special reveals the never-before-told tale of an elite unit of Elves known as Prep & Landing. Every Christmas Eve this high-tech organization ensures that homes around the world are properly prepared for the yearly visit from The Big Guy, their code name for Santa Claus.

After working tirelessly on Prep & Landing for 227 years, an elf named Wayne is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion to be the Director of Naughty List Intelligence. Instead, Magee, the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center Coordinator (NPCECCC for short), partners Wayne with Lanny, an idealistic rookie who has an undying enthusiasm for Christmas. During their Christmas Eve mission, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits. Will the elves be able to guide Dasher, Dancer and the rest of the reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh through a raging snowstorm to ensure a Merry Christmas for all?

The cast of includes Dave Foley (“The Kids in the Hall,” “NewsRadio”) as Wayne, Sarah Chalke (“Maneater,” “Scrubs”) as Magee and Derek Richardson (“MEN IN TREES,” “Hostel,” “Dumb and Dumberer”) as Lanny.

John Lasseter is executive producer of “Lanny and Wayne the Christmas Elves in Prep & Landing.” Dorothy McKim is the producer, and the directors are Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton.

“Lanny and Wayne the Christmas Elves in Prep & Landing” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. A TV Parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.