UGC + Online Gaming + Video = Engagement

As many of you know, I hate the term Engagement unless it's found to be defined. There seems to be a trend towards defining it over the last couple of months, so maybe I'll be able to change my tune!

Two companies are trying to create true models for engagement; Dimestore Media and PopJax.

Dimestore creates a video game show around video ads; trivia on commercials. They can provide real time metrics and consumer data on recall and other key brand-related metrics. Players generate points that pit them against a community of users

PopJax takes old TV clips and user generated content and creates a trivia game around them, with the players earning cash rewards.

Both models are trying to make video more interactive and incentivize consumers to get involved and participate. Some people poo-poo this idea as incentivized clicks or other less-effective marketing opportunities, but if you view them as pure entertainment with a resultant effect on a brand, I think they can work.

Of course, they are not a strategy unto themselves, but they are a part of the greater whole. Check them out and see if you can fit them in. It could be a worthwhile test.