Facebook Connect expands the Interactive Experience

In the last few days, I've noticed an emerging trend in promotional websites - the use of Facebook Connect to expand the user experience. This is part of the emerging trend of Social Context which involves more contextual content, media and ads based off social profiles. Here are some impressive examples I have seen in the last week or so:

The Flash Forward Experience allows viewers to become a part of Mosaic (the fictional site from the TV show in which people can connect about what they saw during the "blackout"). Using information from your profile, your location, your friends, etc. the site creates your vision during the "blackout." Viewers also have the option to become members of the Facebook fan page. Overall, the site seems like a great way to actively involve its audience in the TV show.

The Prototype Experience uses Facebook Connect for the new blockbuster game by Activision: Prototype. One aspect that makes this site more interesting than the Flash Forward site is that one does not have to log into Facebook Connect in order to interact with it. Viewers have the ability to read the story, view artwork, watch non-targeted trailers and pre-order the game independently from Facebook Connect. Facebook Connect is used primarily for the "Prototype Experience" - a short teaser trailer which uses your own social information in Facebook from your profile picture, your profile information, and photos from your friends. It's definitely worth trying it out for yourself. Here's an interesting post on the development of the site.

Welcome to Fight Club pulls your info from Facebook and turns you into a different person (in other words, you get to see yourself living the movie - pretty awesome idea). As a fan of the original movie, this site automatically appealed to me. I like the idea of being directly involved in the movie. Welcome to Fight Club was created to advertise the 11/17/09 release of 10th Anniversary Edition of Fight Club on Blu-ray disc.

I want to be part of Teamgeist

It's already fairly apparent from earlier posts that I love soccer. I also openly admit I love almost all of Adidas' soccer campaigns. So, it is not exactly a shock that I instantly fell in love with the latest advergame for Adidas.

The game which also serves as a graphic novel is called: Teamgeist. (Teamgeist is the name given the ball used at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.) Teamgeist invites players to partake in the story of German football team Die Manschafft's jersey. In the intro to the game, Die Manshafft is stripped of its identity. From that point forward, it is the player's goal to help the team recapture its three World Cup stars, thereby reclaiming Die Manshafft's identity. Here's the intro in German (you can watch it in English here):


In general, I'm not a huge gamer (sure, I liked the Oregon Trail and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, but I never really moved past that) so I wasn't sure if I would find Teamgeist engaging or easy to navigate. It manages to be both without being so simple that someone who is a gamer would become easily bored. The graphics and videos are stunning and the story is compelling.

The site also features an interactive graphic novel with an augmented reality component. In addition, the campaign includes a blog with all the making of the videos as well as a twitter account.

This new Adidas campaign was created by North Kingdom and is in partnership with the German Football Federation.