In the UK, broadcast product placement opportunities are limited and do not allow brands to be part of the storyline.Until now, the opportunities for brands in social gaming have been restricted to poorly executed bolt on 'advergames', or virtual short-term vanity items.I AM PLAYR brings together for the first time the best of games, film and TV production to provide a new platform for brands where they can be integrated seamlessly into a narrative, through video content (product placement and sponsorship) and also via virtual in-game products.

PR - blogger engagement programme, print-based consumer PR - football, generic sport and men's magazine titles, national and marketing trade pressDigital advertising campaign - Facebook advertisingSocial media marketing - Twitter and Facebook campaignsIn-game viral mechanics

Statistics for the period 16 March 2011 - 12 April 2012:- 170,000 UK I AM PLAYR users view Nike content- 4,261,028 people visit virtual Nike boot store- 124,714 people return to Nike Academy- 377,000 pairs of virtual Nike boots are purchased- 37.5m Nike videos are viewed, equating to 14,614 days (40 years) worth of Nike-branded video content viewed “As a brand we are constantly looking for new ways to credibly connect with young footballers. But fundamentally that needs to be a connection on their terms, not ours. I AM PLAYR represents not only the future of gaming, but also one of the potential futures of brand communication. For Nike it’s a natural brand partnership that we just couldn’t miss being a part of”. - Simon Owen, Brand Communications manager, Nike.