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Starting a Food Fight is the newest game site for foodies on the Internet, thanks to General Mills. What’s neat about it is that while participating in a virtual food fight, consumers can also download dozens of simple, healthy recipes to make at home.
As the game loads, viewers pick the food they want to use in the fight, and they pick their favorite combatants, aka grubslingers, and square off with them: Ruthless Ruth, Sake Tuya or Chuck Frank.
With the opponent and viewer grabbing anything off the screen as fair game in the food fight, splotches cover the screen, making it increasingly difficult to see the virtual opponent who is running across the screen and ducking. The food fight concludes when there is an actual winner of the game.
Then, viewers are invited to “ambush a friend” by sending them a link to a healthy recipe. When the friend clicks on the link, of course, they actually get splattered food and an invitation to join a food fight....
Of course, when everybody tires of the game (which happens more quickly for some of us than others), they can click on the www.EatBetterAmerica.com link, giving them access to lots of healthy, quickly made recipes, diet, nutrition and fitness information. The site also features coupons and promotions. This is great for busy, multi-tasking folks who’d really like to start eating more nutritiously. And just think: it all started with a food fight!
Interestingly, General Mills has promoted its “Eat Better America” site with offline and online campaigns and its food fight site, “The Good Food Fight” in a viral campaign. . . proof that good marketers are using multiple tools and tactics to achieve their goals of reaching their audiences and engaging them.
With this campaign and these sites, General Mills is pointing the way to healthier eating, without having to give up flavor, and much of our time. What’s not to love about that?
Question: what do you, the Daily Fix readers, think of General Mills’ strategy with these sites? Do you think they are effective and engaging, or silly and childish? I’d like to hear from you.
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Comments
Ted, I found the site to be clever and engaging, esp with links back to the eatbetter site. That said, something is missing; the wow factor. It's cute, it's fun, but I think it needs some punch. Maybe hooking up with Martha Stewart, Emeril, Rachael Ray or the Food Channel might have added some star power to the concept. I'm still chewing on this one...
Posted by: Paul Barsch | 11.15.07
Paul,
I think the premise of this is good, too, as long as it entices people to not only play the game, but learn more about good nutrition. Being able to download easy to prepare healthful meals is a plus. I'm not sure if a site like this would benefit from featuring gourmet chefs, even with all of that star power. . .if their recipes look daunting to the average home cook. Maybe it would, though, if they were willing to offer some simple, easy to prepare good meals as Rachael Ray does. It is an interesting concept, though, and one that will likely be refined, added to and deleted from over time. Thanks for your input, Paul.
Posted by: Ted Mininni | 11.15.07
A great example of taking the marketing {of food} to the consumer... Create an environment in which the consumer is active in the marketing itself...
Does it sell product? We'll see. It gets the consumer to the site. And in my mind, as long as I'm there, I'll look up some recipes for Thanksgiving...
Fun one, Ted. Thanks!
Keep Kooking!
Andrew
Posted by: Andrew B. Clark | 11.15.07
Who else thought Ruthless Ruth was just scary?!
The execution of this is actually really good... I love the way Ruth "climbs" on top of content on the web page.
But I wonder: Does anyone come here more than once? Does it continue to engage and deliver? I'd bet the answers to those questions are 1) no and 2) I sorta doubt it.
Posted by: Ann Handley | 11.15.07
Andrew, I think you're right. It remains to be seen whether the sites involved in this interactive program actually sell product and point consumers in the right direction as far as nutrition goes.
Ann, I tend to agree with your assessment. As I stated, some people are going to probably tire of the game and the approach, hence they may not experience the food fight site more than once. However, I'm also willing to bet they'll talk about it or send the link to friends, so WOM will probably get lots more folks to the site. Will that influence some people's food choices, purchases and eating habits? Probably not in a lasting way, but you've got to like what General Mills is attempting to do with a site like this.
Thanks for adding to the conversation, Andrew & Ann.
Posted by: Ted Mininni | 11.15.07
Maybe a second visit could be easier with more focus on the recipes than on the game. But I have to admit it, the execution is great and if they should able to make the three characters viral( imagine a widget with the characters suggesting new recipes or the daily tip for healthy nutrition) this may prove to be a huge success.
Posted by: gianandrea | 11.16.07
Great idea, Gianandrea. Maybe General Mills should consider holding a contest to solicit ideas on either improving the current game or adding new interactive games for the site from readers. There are many creative people out there who could come up with some interesting ideas. You've come up with one yourself. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Ted Mininni | 11.16.07