Chado-Design.com

The super popular Facebook app/real-time farming simulator FarmVille has recently began a cross-promotion campaign with 7-Eleven convenience stores. The cross-promotional campaign features signage and Farmville branded snacks. The campaign also introduces limited edition Farmville items that are only available with the purchase of 7-11 FarmVille Food. The items, which are unlocked with special codes on the product packaging, include water towers, swimming pools, and sandwich carts. These two brands seem like a strange fit for a cross-promotional campaign; FarmVille is associated with organic farming and fresh produce which people usually don’t associate with 7-Eleven. 7-Eleven will also run similar campaigns with other Zynga Facebook game titles like Mafia Wars drink cups with promotional codes for in-game items.

Although this campaign seems absurd and a very odd fit for both brands it is opening the doors for increased cross promotion with products and unlock-able virtual content in video games. If proven successful, this type of campaign could become commonplace where players will purchase other products to gain an edge in their game or unlock new features. Special downloadable game content is already available with game pre-orders or for purchase via online services so this doesn’t necessarily require new technology.

Tags: 7-11, 7-Eleven, co-branding, Cross promotion, Farmville, food, social media, video games, Zynga

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