A recent Game Design Challenge charged you with designing an interesting, integrated ad campaign for Eco-Racing Wars, a (fictional) racing game that was being released with an environmentally friendly message.

While game designers do not typically take part in ad campaigns, there are more and more campaigns that work like games (alternate reality games as advertisement, for example) or use game-like methods. And that's what we liked best in the winners for this week's entries. They implemented game-like features into their campaigns, leaving us with the notion that they would intrigue people into playing the full game.

Things to consider also are the cost of advertising, the feasibility, and how much are you giving away at what times? Much like in a game demo -- you wouldn't want to give away two hours of the game -- in advertising you don't want to give away all the game's secret off the bat. It's better to let people wonder and wish, build suspense and anticipation.

Best Entries
E McNeill, Dartmouth College, The Bait and Switch Approach (see page 2)
This entry, from E McNeill, creates a mystery for potential players and establishes an alternate reality. While there isn't much interaction on the part of the potential players, it still teases the players and gets people interested.

Max Michaud-Shields, aspiring game designer, Prototype to On-Location (see page 3)
Max Michaud-Shields' entry uses a mini-game to hype the full version of the game. This gets people excited for the full, gives them something to do before the game's release, and helps build community early.