CBS’s Amazing Race is one of the rare reality shows that you can admit to loving without hanging your head in shame. What’s not to love about teams racing around the globe in hopes of winning big bucks? Now the network, along with longtime sponsor Travelocity, is giving average Joes the opportunity to play the Amazing Race from the comfort of their home computers… and the result is a cool online game that incorporates social media and technology without the bickering teammates.
CBS and Travelocity launched the Amazing Race Around the Worldwide Web on February 22 to coincide with the premiere of the newest season of the show. The contest serves as a type of Internet scavenger hunt where players are asked to complete tasks not unlike those seen on the show. Like the Amazing Race did in its first season, armchair travellers beginning their game in San Francisco completing tasks like finding Ghirardelli Square and the Golden Gate Bridge. Players earn points and can play against Facebook friends or add friends to their team. Trivia questions about travel and the Amazing Race are thrown down during the game to challenge reality TV superfans. This version of the race doesn’t promise a big cash payoff like the live-action version, but it does have a sweet prize of its own fans of the show are sure to love: Travelocity is giving away free hotel stays for a year to a lucky person who reaches the 40th level of the game.
Popular culture, specifically television, is currently experiencing a shot in the arm thanks to the interactive elements of social media. Sites like Get Glue play off the addictive qualities of television and the chatty nature of social media; by adding a gaming element to the brand interaction, CBS and the like are roping in the Farmville set as well. We’re always down for a good promotional game and have seen small companies playing along with their customers online lately, too. So, dear readers, we’ll turn it over to you: Have you held games/contests for your clients on social media? If so, what were the results? Tell us all about in comments section. Game on!
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