Wishing not ALL of your dreams come true in 2011!

Since life can be largely compared to games or the other way around I hope that you will not achieve all your goals. Purpose is the most important thing in life. It is what keeps you going and keeps you developing yourself into a better (or worse) person. It helps you to continuously aim higher and get closer to achieving whatever you wish to achieve.

Therefore I hope not all your dreams come true in 2011, because you always need something to wish for. But keep setting goals and keep on dreaming, because hope and purpose is what helps you to reach the next level!

Thank you very much for following me in 2010 and I hope to keep on inspiring you in 2011 with new cases and projects I have been involved in. My next goal is to have my book translated into English and to undertake some great projects with some really nice clients.

Furthermore I am thinking about an iPad application containing all the information you need on gaming and branding. Let me know if you think that's a good idea!

For now - be nice to each other and remain healthy!

South park - Facebook Episode[HQ]

You can even play Yahtzee on Facebook and build your own farm! ;-) Like 60 million people have been doing the past year... I still find that amazing!

BrandNewGame presentation: Digital Interactive Branding

I have updated my earlier presentation about building brands in the digital era.
It is based on five years of research and reading books about strategic branding and management of organizations that grew from good to great (Jim Collins).

Other books I took inspiration from are The Tipping Point, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Conversation Management, Conversational Capital, Free, Authenticity, The Experience Economy and loads of TED talks and research from Distimo, Nielsen, TNS Nipo, trend reports (Science of the Times, Most Contagious 2010, Forrester) and many, many more web-based intelligence.

I have compiled all the information into 5 Brand Objectives that each Brand and Organization should follow to become (or remain) successful in the Digital Era.

The presentation also includes my vision on the internet (forget offline and online, below the line or above the line!).

The third part of the presentation includes the CoCha-model about which I have been presenting a lot in 2010. I have changed 'Consumer' into 'Communities' since we are all more and more influenced by what we do on digital communities (social media) and influence all our party-members as we share what we think is cool, relevant or an exceptional product.

Let me know what you think!

Brand New Game Digital Interactive Branding

View more presentations from Bart Hufen [BrandNewGame].

Battle of Branchage

This projection mapping is quite cool as well - as is the one below! ;-)

3D Projection Mapping

An incredible cool 3D Projection on a building. This is the future of visual entertainment if you ask me!

STUNNING!

Thanks for the tip @Kevin Megens from Artibite the leading motion graphic company in The Netherlands (Based in Utrecht) 

A Pot Noeldle Christmas - by Pot Noodle

A nice and somewhat funny motion graphic animation, but I cannot see how this should give me a positive attitude towards Pot Noodles let alone that I would buy it!?

IGN's Top 100 Game Developers: Games or Art?

According to the leaders of the games industry games in fact are art... And I must agree!

Kellee Santiago: Are Video Games Art?

An inspiring presentation by Kellee Santiago (That Game Company) explaining why games could be considered a form of art. That Game Company developed 'Flower' - a spiritual game if I may say so for PlayStation 3, currently one of the best downloaded game on the PlayStation Network

THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY - Jesus Christ!

Times change, but not our behavior if you look at communication and sharing stuff.

Check out this real funny video about Christmas

Thanks to @Lorence!

Laat met je merk spelen is a X-Mas recommendation!

My book has been recommended as 'an excellent read between X-Mas and New Years eve'.

All readers that email me a summary of their opinion of the book will get a free presentation or an hour of hack & slash adventure with me!

Order the book below:

www.Kluwer.nl  

Coldplay - Don't Panic

Nice motion graphic / stop motion videoclip by ColdPlay

Augmented Reality: Introducing Word Lens

Another interesting innovation in augmented reality applications - a lens-translator for iPhone.

Quite stunning! Check out the short movie.

Vending Machines in Borderlands

Reload your weapons or upgrade your armor in Borderlands.
A great opportunity for ingame advertising if you ask me!

Funny thing is that I know a guy called Marcus that actually looks like the face in this picture!

Funniest Ever Comedy | Dara O Briain | Video Games

The uniqueness of the art of video games well explained!

Dara Ó Briain describing Call of Duty, MGS, etc (New DVD)

A good laugh about playing games, finally a comedian that is a gamer! ;-)

Or...not...

Second Skin documentary about MMO players

Video Games - E3 2009 - The MMO Report

My book hits the TOP 10 Management books by Kluwer

I am happy to announce that my book has been chosen by Kluwer to be part of the TOP 10 Management Books in 2010.

Apart from that I can announce that the free English summary is almost finished and will be available for download from the 1st of January 2011. (1-1-11 ;-)

This is the link to the English part of the website for my book (A Brand New Playground).

The book will unveil the latest insights in digital consumer behaviour, provides an overview of the games industry in the past 30 years, provides about 30 case studies categorized in product-, price-, place-(innovative distribution and micro-transactions), personnel and promotion-related objectives and presents three models how games can be used in the field of brand management and marketing.

 I hope you will enjoy it!

Moleskin-mini short film

What are your plans for 2011? Use your moleskin agenda to plan your future!

A very cool stop-motion film by Rogier Wieland

How to Unlock Your World With Foursquare

Especially for people that don't know what FourSquare is and what potential it has for retail brands (since it is location based) - check it out!

It's an ideal tool to increase footfall / traffic flow to your resellers (for brands) or stores.

You can give people random acts of kindness for checking in to that specific store and be remarkable!

Give give give and let the crowd spread the word instead of take take take and buy mediaspace to advertise a lie that no consumer will believe!

For more information contact Bart at BrandNewGame!

We will help you and give give give cool concepts that help to achieve your marketing objectives!

3D Lightboxes

impressive if you learn how this technique comes to live. The result looks cool, but once you hear 'how it's made' ... respect!


Making Future Magic: iPad light painting from Dentsu London on Vimeo.

More information about Berg and Dentse London is to be found here:

http://www.dentsulondon.com/blog/2010/09/14/light-painting/

Angry Birds Peace Treaty

the video is not THAT funny, but watched by over 2 million people and since it's about a game that has been played by more than 40 million people* - I thought I'd share it...

* 12 million played the full version and 30 million the light version.

Rymdreglage - 8-bit trip

Real cool video with some good old 8-Bit music!

Bravo!

Trends 2011: The young generation - a historical overview!

My conclusion of this great video is that:

1. Young generations never change in behavior
2. We all want to make a difference
3. We still want to be individuals that belong to groups (which is a paradox ;-)
4. Nowadays we have unlimited options to claim 5 seconds of fame and leave a digital footprint
5. We want to share with our friends, relatives and connections what we do, when, where and how


We All Want to Be Young from box1824 on Vimeo.

The movie "We All Want to Be Young" is the outcome of several studies developed by BOX1824 in the past 5 years. BOX1824 is a Brazilian research company specialized in behavioral sciences and consumer trends.

This movie has an open license by Creative Commons.

Written and directed by Lena Maciel, Lucas Liedke and Rony Rodrigues.

Thanks:
Zeppelin Films

box1824.com.br

Games for Internal Branding: Microsoft Silver Line Society ARG

Microsoft used an Alternate Reality Game to encourage players (employees) to increase cooperative working. The puzzles had to be solved by working together before the 7th of december....

The strength of the execution lies in the fact that both virtual- and real-world elements have to be combined to achieve all goals... check the films to learn more!

Service in the Industry is not a Product Feature but a Business Model

This presentation show you how services can be sold as product-add-ons. Just like in my book it describes opportunities to sell services as product+ or upgraded products. Like a game with 5 extra levels (this was done during the presell period of the game R.U.S.E. for instance)...

Service in the Industry is not a Product Feature but a Business Model

View more presentations from Ouke Arts.

Festival of Games

Games Anywhere:
How platforms, business and media are changing the way people play 
In two years' time more iOS games have been released than the total of all console games since 1980 - in fact, twice as many, with four times the number of Flash games on game portals, while games are entering the television and physical spaces too. 
Entitled "Games Anywhere" the 2011 Festival of Games event will be all about how the eruption of games in every sector of the consumer market has interacted the videogames business. The two-day Conference on April 28-29 will have a strong focus on convergence and transmedia, with the first speakers set to be announced shortly.

The games industry has been developing very rapidly over the last ten years, becoming one of the key dominant forces in entertainment. But with the introduction of social media and smartphones, plus the increasing penetration of high-speed broadband, games have expanded into new areas. From internet portals to television and from advertising to movies, the traditional console gamer is no longer the leading influencer of the industry.

Publishing and distribution take place across new channels, with new market players taking lead roles - but in this ever-changing landscape, it's still - even more so - all about games. "Since our inception in 2005 we have seen the industry shift from being publisher-driven to being consumer-driven," said Seth van der Meer, chairman of the Festival of Games. "This development has paved the way for online publishers, indie developers and transmedia developers to become the new and daring kids on the block."

This explosion of games into all areas of entertainment has created a host of new business models, new marketing methods and a changing view on publishing, distribution and retail. The Festival of Games will give you an insight into how you - as a director or marketeer - can leverage your success based on the examples of your peers. Industry leaders and seasoned entrepreneurs will share their stories, helping you to make the right decisions and to get the optimum return on investment.

Two days filled with discussions, lectures, keynotes and panels are the backbone of the 6th Festival of Games on April 28-29, 2011. A wide range of topics will be covered by thought-leaders from the international games industry. Speeches from industry icons that defined the present industry environment are combined with sessions from front-runners that will shape the future of the industry.

"The Games Anywhere theme really does tie into so many of the crucial aspects of development and business that our industry is facing, both now and into the future," said Phil Elliott, publisher at GamesIndustry.biz. "For anybody that wants to understand how to tackle one of the fastest-moving sectors there is, heading to the Festival of Games will be vital."

Expect sessions in the disciplines of Business and Finance, Marketing and Strategy, Art, Design and Production and Technology aimed at improving your day-to-day business. Once again, the Conference will be a gathering place for anyone who wants to make profit with digital games: The games industry executives will blend with influencers from TV, Broadcasting, Media, Telecoms, Investment, and Social Networks.

THE FESTIVAL OF GAMES
The Festival of Games takes place on April 28-29, 2011, at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht (the Netherlands). The 2010 event attracted over 2000 visitors, with 180 companies from 25 countries.

The Festival of Games is the most effective games industry event, that combines a conference, an international matchmaking event, called Pitch & Match, a business Expo for trade visitors, and the largest games industry Career Fair of Europe. The Conference in 2011 is powered by GamesIndustry.biz.

The Festival of Games is organized by the NLGD Foundation and is made possible by the Dutch ministry of Economic Affairs, the province of Utrecht and the city of Utrecht.

See www.festivalofgames.org for more details.