As a video ad platform that turns video content into games, Unlockable is using the idea of value exchange to reach users while rewarding them at the same time. The platform was just named a finalist at #NYCSTARTUP, co-sponsored by 212NYC and the New York Times, and will present at Ad Week on September 30th.
What is the Unlockable system?
Consumers aren’t always willing to pay for the content available on sites like Hulu or the Wall Street Journal, but with Unlockable, they can play a game to “unlock” it for free. The viewer clicks the Unlockable button (found alongside payment options) to play a branded game based on branded content—trivia, matching, or anything that allows the user to interact with the ad. Once complete, the content appears, at no financial cost to the user.
How does Unlockable have implications for mobile?
Unlockable also works on mobile games – if a player wants to buy more of something in the game (energy, gold, kittens), a branded game can be played instead of an actual transaction.
What is the advantage of opt-in games?
The key here is “value exchange”: give users something that’s worth their attention. Advertising is a happier and even welcome type of content when it gives the viewer something for their time. The user’s interaction with the brand’s game is a small price for premium content.