Denuo - denuology.com

FarmVille has long been the focal point for social gaming, what with its millions of users, socially-relevant gameplay, and showcasing the gaming potential in Facebook. However, its recent foray into branded experiences in and around the game have introduced a whole new level of possibilities on the virtual farm, something that General Mills‘ organic food brand, Cascadian Farm, saw as a perfect fit for promoting their products.

Denuo was brought on board to help Cascadian Farm extend the already awesome idea to put organic crops into the game outward into both the Farmville community and Cascadian Farm’s community. Since both communities were made up of dedicated, passionate, and extremely vocal folks, the challenge was bringing these two groups together without alienating either side.

We considered the changing gaming space and how folks are playing with each other these days and, using three key things we know about gaming culture, built a couple of ways to mix the groups together to equally enjoy this unique experience.

New and improved, with 50 percent MORE culture, it’s this week’s Reflecteur!

This week, our digital culture experts turn their eyes toward the demands of the famous, whether its the curiosity of people when it comes to celebrity tour riders or newer celebrities like the double-rainbow guy asking what could be better than a full-on, complete rainbow. Also, catalog living, avoiding your friends via location-based apps, the secrets of popular music exposed by the Axis of Awesome, and Youtube as a historical film archive. All contained in this blockbuster, 50% bonus-filled edition of Reflecteur!

Click here to download this week’s issue.

I’ve seen a lot of live shows but many of the most memorable have come from a single guy: Jon Brion. Brion used to play every Friday night at Café Largo in Los Angeles and I was there for a ton of them. What made him so compelling was that he always took the stage without a playlist. His set ended up being a mix of whatever inspired him at the moment and requests shouted from the audience. Some nights would be comprised mostly of ragtime and moody jazz. Others would be giant singalongs – the greatest hits of The Police with Brion accompanying on xylophone, for example. One night he asked the audience to name a song. Someone suggested “Dream On” by Aerosmith. Then he asked for a genre. Someone yelled “Bossa Nova”. Brion picked up an acoustic guitar, cued up a samba beat, and did it on the spot.

You truly had no idea what to expect when you walked into Largo every Friday (and neither did Brion).  The concert was unfolding in real-time as a collaboration between performer and audience – a marked contrast to the overly-choreographed shows we normally see. There is a reason he sold out every week and has become something of a living legend in clubland.

Now humor me as I segue into marketing: to what degree do your brands engage without a script and how important is it to actually do so?

We approached E3 2010 like a kid approaches Christmas Day, tearing into the cornucopia of gaming goodness, grinning ear to ear at what surprises lay within. After the fun and spectacle abated, we caught our breath and took a good look at how this show set the table for further growth within the gaming industry.

With analysts quick to pronounce gaming on the decline, E3 came roaring out in defiance of this speculation, showcasing the “something for everyone” attitude gaming has taken in the face of new gamers. Social games, accessible games, motion-controlled games, and downloadable games all had their day in the sun next to the usual slate of blockbuster titles, each vying for attention on a diverse showfloor. Between Nintendo’s 3DS, Microsoft’s Kinect, and Sony’s Move, each company had new tech to reintroduce gamers to their platforms, while also turning to classic franchises to reinvigorate a gamer base anxious for the next big thing.

VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUURRRRRRRRRRRRUURRRRRR.

Sorry about that.  This week’s issue was taken over by the World Cup’s digital vuvuzela, found inside, along with a whole bunch of other digital extensions to the planet’s favorite sporting event.  Also, we watch a digital behavior go analog as “Liking” something creeps into the real world, a classically-trained violinist playing the first level of Super Mario Bros. (not how you think), and the technology of today getting a decidedly-retro graphic design makeover.  Finally, New @ Denuo  recaps our involvement with The Betacup and how changing our coffee-drinking habits could save the planet from environmental destruction.

Download the issue here!

VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRVVVVRRRRRRVVVRRRgoal!RRRRRRRVVVVRUUUUUUUUUUUUU