Silver Oaks Creates Advergames, Branding – and Loyalty

Silver Oaks Communications lets you play with your customers’ minds and gives your customers a chance to use their minds to play!

Playing an interactive game maintains customer loyalty, brand awareness and keeps Website visitors coming back for more. “The concept of advergames is a contemporary marketing trend, almost a medium in itself, that has caught on in the 2000s,” said Greg Scott, president of Silver Oaks Communications, Inc., Moline, Ill.

“It’s an economical, fun way for advertisers to enable thousands of people to experience their products, then have so much fun that they share the Website with friends,” Scott said. “Then players will pass that web link on to who-knows-how-many other potential visitors in the process of ‘referral’ or ‘viral’ marketing -- and your brand will remain top-of-mind with each visitor!

Silver Oaks can create an on-line game that utilizes characters, logos and the brand of the company. “And our development team can create a great game for any budget. What’s really powerful about using this type of advertising tool on-line is that you can track game play, so you can see your game’s effectiveness for yourself,” said Julie Wine Johnston, director of interactive development at Silver Oaks. “Your return is measurable. There are many collateral effects as well, such as word of mouth and increased visibility in the market segment.”

Companies can cultivate additional loyalty by rewarding visitors through advergame competitions, contests and prizes – a service or product offered by your company, for example — that give visitors a reason to return to your Website, Johnston says.

Studies have shown that games appeal to men and women age 18 to 49, she added. “Enjoying these games isn’t just for kids,” she said. “Consider this: One out of every six people on the Internet at this moment is playing a game. One out of every four of those gamers will tell at least one friend about the game. And the average gamer spends at least 21 minutes playing a particular game, so that means that your brand is in front of each gamer for a considerable length of time.”

Silver Oaks recently created two on-line advergames — as well as seven complete product Websites — for Norcross Safety Products L.L.C., a premier manufacturer and marketer of head-to-toe protective equipment for fire service, utility, industrial safety and agricultural/work markets.

To emphasize the rugged endurance of Norcross’ durable Northerner Boots line, the Northerner ATV Challenge allows Website visitors to race an animated interactive ATV, complete with the revving of engines and music that keeps pace with the ATV’s speed. During the race, Norcross brands and logos appear in “advertisements” and other animation along the way. See for yourself how quickly on-line visitors can have fun, and why they want to return to the Website, at www.northernerboots.com.

For Norcross’ Xtratuf Boots line, Silver Oaks created the Xtratuf Fishing Derby, which requires contestants to catch fish before their time or bobbers run out! See how the entertaining game reflects the boot brand at www.xtratufboots.com.

Every facet of each game — design, programming, animation, sound effects and music — was developed at Silver Oaks. The development team focused on eye-catching visuals and addictive game play that also incorporate a company’s logo, purpose and theme.

In addition to Norcross, other internationally recognized companies such as American Airlines, Nike, Toyota and M&M/Mars have developed games that have drawn millions of visitors to their Websites, earned international media coverage for business and gaming audiences, and successfully promoted their companies.

Silver Oaks, in its 21st year of business in the communications industry, is nationally recognized for creativity and technical excellence in print, video, interactive and creative media services.