Barclays has introduced 56 Sage Street, a free, online, single-player money-management game built around an interactive virtual city. The big, Flash-based game is intended to help the European banking giant reach younger consumers.

Game Design

When 56 Sage Street begins you have just arrived in the city, with only £4 in your pocket. You make money by taking various jobs, but you have to start out with lowly positions like dish washer and pizza deliveries. You can’t get any of the really good jobs until you improve your appearance and reputation, which takes nicer clothes and a fancier apartment, which, of course takes more money. Therein lies the challenge.

The game is named after the address of the fictional Mr. C., an ailing millionaire who lives at 56 Sage Street within the make-believe city. If you complete all the tasks in the game, Mr. C promises to bequeath his empire to you.

The game board is a sizable, scrolling, left-to-right three-dimensional map that you explore with your character. You start out in the poorest part of town and advance your way through a total of four “levels” as you accrue more and more money, ultimately ending up in the swanky subdivision called Silvergate. In total, there are some 100+ interactive nodes in the game, including hotels, restaurants, night clubs and various other businesses.

BARCLAYS – 56 SAGE STREET
A one-minute unnarrated video overview of the game

BARCLAYS – 56 SAGE STREET GAME PLAY
The dark, moody world, which feels somewhere between Sim City and a
Playstation game called “The Getaway,” will likely appeal to younger players.

BARCLAYS – 56 SAGE STREET GAME MAP
This map only shows 16 of the some 100+ interactive “hot-spots” one can explore.

One interesting aspect of 56 Sage Street’s game play is the game clock. Every day, you wake up at 8:00 a.m. The clock advances 15 minutes every time you visit one of the city’s interactive nodes, no matter what you do (or don’t do) at that location. Additional time is run off the clock for jobs you accept and tasks you complete. Every day ends at 11:30 p.m., at which point you must find a hotel, apartment or park bench and rest until 8:00 a.m. the next day. Your character recharges his or her energy and appearance at varying rates depending on the quality of the accommodations you choose (or what you can afford).

There are three arcade-style mini-games within the game. The mini-game in Tony’s Café tests your cooking skills on a short-order grill, the Jolly Roger mini-game tests your reflexes ala Guitar Hero, EWM Solicitors tests your typing skills, and the final secret challenge tests whether you’ve got what it takes to run Mr C’s empire when he is gone.

BARCLAYS – 56 SAGE STREET MINIGAMES

The mini-game in Tony’s Grill (top two images) is a mad race to keep up with the breakfast orders pouring in. The Jolly Roger mini-game replaces a keyboard for a guitar in a ‘Guitar Hero’ style game. And the EWS Solicitor mini-game is a dictation test.

There are 50 different awards you can earn as you play the game, an idea which feels remarkably similar to the kind of badges Foursquare users accrue.

The game includes a mobile phone interface that you can use to help you navigate the game and keep track of your money. If you need any help, there’s a guide for the phone, an overall game guide and FAQ.

Anyone registered on Facebook can save their game, and, if you feel like it, share your progress with a status update. There’s also a Twitter tie-in, but it’s relatively weak.

The game was designed by international ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty in conjunction with B-Reel.

Game Play

56 Sage Street is not terribly challenging, but it is somewhat fun to play and has the potential to become addictive. Be advised though: If you make it to the end, prepare to be frustrated. If you complete all the tasks Mr. C assigns you, you’re told to go to his house because there’s something he wants to give you. Even though the house is clearly indicated on the game map, the interactive marker appears to be missing, so you can’t win the game.

As with all games, half the fun is figuring out how to beat “the system.” And in that regard, 56 Sage Street is no different. There are easy shortcuts one can use to accrue money faster than the game designers intended (e.g., playing the mini-games over and over, or repeatedly taking the overtime shift at the fireworks factory). Kids these days adopt the hacker’s mindset when playing video games, looking for any opportunities to “break the rules.” Much like Matthew Broderick’s character in the movie War Games, the challenge of deciphering the game’s design is what many players of 56 Sage Street will find most alluring. How can I “game the system?”

Ultimately the game has a lot more to do with budgeting and money management than it does with banking. Many of the lessons it teaches about how to use a retail financial institution don’t align with how things work in the real world. For instance, you cannot make deposits via your in-game, virtual mobile phone nor online at any of the game’s internet cafes. You can only make deposits in branches… but branches are only open from 9:30 to 5:30 p.m., so if the game clock says 9:15 and you’d like to make a deposit, tough luck: you can’t.

What’s worse is that you can only deposit £80 at a time, which is very frustrating when you have a £280 paycheck and £40 in daily automatic debit deductions. It takes “15 minutes” of game time with each visit you make to a branch, plus your energy takes a one-point blow every time you do so. So if you want to make a £800 deposit, you’ll have to make 10 stops at a branch, which takes 2.5 hours of “game time” and 10 “energy points.” The level of irritation this causes is probably a good representation of the vexing “rules” and aggravations consumers have come to expect when dealing with real financial institutions.

Analysis and Perspective

For all the talk in the financial industry about “engaging young consumers on their terms,” few banks and credit unions truly grasp what that really involves. “That means I need to be on Facebook, right?” For most organizations, their youth strategy is little more than lip service, but Barclays is stepping up — nay, stepping out on the ledge — to put its money where its mouth is. At the very least, Barclays deserves praise for its willingness to pioneer and innovate.

Financial institutions have been toying with online interactive games for nearly a decade, so in that sense, Barclay’s 56 Sage Street isn’t a new concept. In fact, Barclay’s rolled out another Flash-based game called Water Slides in 2009. What makes 56 Sage Street so remarkable is its size and scope; this free game is almost as good as some that cost money. But the game probably also cost at least £200,000 to develop, plus who knows how much more to promote.

Will Barclay’s yield the results necessary to justify this huge roll of the dice? Only time will tell. So far, the game has been “liked” by over 500 people on Facebook, but are these the young people Barclays is targeting? Or are they older video game fans and designers from around the world?

Overall, the Barclays brand isn’t very prominent in the game, something sure to please gaming purists as much as it aggravates branding consultants. There is a small, omnipresent logo at the bottom of the screen, but branches within the game’s cityscape are almost completely unbranded. Architectural cues, along with the bank’s signature blue, have been eschewed presumably to preserve the game’s integrity. Little icons of the Barclays crest denote branch and ATM locations. Other than that though, there is almost zero connection back to Barclays or its website. It’s a soft sell at best — perhaps a little too soft — but better for Barclays to err on the side of caution than risk a backlash. After all, if the game reeked of marketing, no one would play it.

There is one thing people of all ages will probably realize when playing 56 Sage Street: Life can be very repetitive. You get up, eat, exercise, go to work, eat, come home, eat again, then go to bed. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Adults will likely recognize the daily tedium for what it is and acclimate quickly. However, younger people, for whom the game is designed, might find the mundane repetitiveness boring…or worse, downright frightening. Despite the game’s limited value as a banking simulator, the game is a fairly accurate representation of the responsibilities most young people should expect as they enter adulthood.

One major aspect of the game isn’t immediately apparent. 56 Sage Street embeds a clear (if not unintentional) message about upward mobility. You’re expected to pursue a bigger, better, more expensive life. The lesson that may make some parents uneasy is that there is no such thing as “good enough.” Your clothes, your appearance, your reputation — indeed who you are as a person — is almost entirely defined by how much money and possessions you have. Happiness, it would seem, is tied directly to your wallet… and always seemingly one step beyond your reach.

BofA – ‘Keep Moving Forward’

This one-minute spot features an empowering, uplifting soundtrack. The message: Bank of America is powered by American tenacity. Agent Jack Bauer (aka Kiefer Sutherland) reads the script: “This is America. And no matter how… No matter where… No matter what… We… keep… moving forward.” It’s not as optimistic as other “Opportunity” spots from BofA, but it still feels good.

RaboPlus ‘Fortune’s Fairy’

This Flash-based game from RaboPlus isn’t very hard, nor is it the best we’ve seen from the financial industry, but it does have one component sure to lure some consumers. In the game, you pick the pockets of a “boring old banker who is fast asleep with your money.” Every bill you get will be deposited into your new RaboPlus account…up to $50. You are encouraged to retry until you reach the full $50 amount, which creates a slight sensation that you’re gambling (marketing’s equivalent to drugs). “Yippee! I won!”

Ally Bank Print Ad

For those of you who have been following along with — and liking — Ally Bank’s TV advertising, here’s what one of the print ads looks like. (FYI – The Financial Brand’s uploads of Ally’s commercials have been flooded with nothing but positive comments — every day — and they get nothing but 5-star ratings. Take a look for yourself.)

City County FCU vs. The Bank

This microsite, DropTheBank.com, pits credit unions against banks in a familiar meme (see also: DumpYourBank.com from Colorado United). The site is screaming for a Flash-based game that isn’t there, despite having all the visual cues that would suggest so. Instead, there’s just a couple of videos. The three-month promo targeted young adults, particularly local college students. According to this article, the campaign yielded a 44% increase in “Advantage Checking” accounts opened by 18-34 year olds, 50% of which were new members. The credit union partnered with the Project New Age team at PSCU Financial Services.

Innovations FCU ‘Build Your Own Auto Loan’

Clever. From ad agency Roust+Partners.

United FCU ‘Matter’

More work from United FCU’s Gen-Y effort entitled “Matter.” Agency: BVK.

Kootenay Savings Annual Report

It may be a couple years old, but the 2007 “fiscal almanac” is both striking and creative. It’s probably more likely to be read than the average annual report. And check out the folding map they used for 2008.

Affinity Credit Union – Hard/Easy

Read the book… or choose Affinity, by ad agency Roust+Partners.

Interior Savings ‘Save Something’

A Canadian credit union framed its “savings” promo around this user-generated video contest, where the winner gets $5,000.

ING Direct ‘Planet Orange’

The centerpiece of orangekids.com, a financial education website, is a kids’ adventure game. There are also lesson plans for teachers and tips for parents.

BofA – U.S. Trust Ads

Three print ads with a serious tone and style.

Emprise Bank ‘Wrinkle Prevention’

You’ve got to do a little digging and deciphering to yield the takeaway message from this ad: “Emprise Trust & Investment services helps keep you from worrying.”

First Citizens’ New Logo

Looking to capitalize on Americans newfound infatuation with personal savings, Regions Bank has launched a new savings initiative, most notably including TV ads and a “Save with Regions” microsite.

“SAVE WITH REGIONS” MICROSITE
The campaign’s main visual hook is undeniably similar to Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” sculpture. Even the typeface was carefully chosen to match the pop icon’s design.

“LOVE” BY ROBERT INDIANA
The sculpture stacks large, slab serif letters “LO” on top of “VE,” with the O canted sideways. The letters are red on their faces and blue on their sides. Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” sculpture is installed in numerous locations around the world, but is probably best known as the centerpiece of Love Park in Philadelphia. Originally a design for a Christmas card in 1964, the “LOVE” sculpture was first exhibited in New York in 1966. This particular picture is of the New York installation (notice the BofA in the background).

The microsite has three main sections:

1. Personal Savings Review — After asking you three questions — what deposit products you currently have, which services you currently use (like online banking), and in what ways you are currently saving — Regions suggests what products you might want.
2. Savings Tips & Advice — This section includes three articles, one of which is “5 Easy Tips to Save Money on Laundry.” There’s also advice for people in various lifestages (e.g., “Starting Out,” “Empty Nester”).
3. Savings Game — You get 60 seconds to catch as many falling piggybanks, coins, dollars and APYs as you can in this Flash-based game. There are no obstacles or penalties, just grab everything you can. (The Financial Brand’s high score: $16,631.77.)

“SAVINGS GAME”
Not much strategy to playing this game, but it can be kind of fun and has some replay value. The game’s visual concept — a savings “jar” that catches valuable items — is certainly relevant, but there isn’t much of a point to catching piggybanks and cash. It’s not much more than an entertaining diversion that may lure folks into “interacting with the brand.”

There are a few other sections of the microsite. “Quick Tips” offer more ideas for saving time, saving money and saving for the future. The “Products” section breaks down all the various savings products out there in an interesting system. You may be a “Beginner Saver,” “Intermediate Saver” or “Advanced Saver” depending on which- and how many savings products you have.

The campaign has its own slogan: “Save time. Save money. Save for the future.” Regions’ brand tagline is “It’s time to expect more.”

This ad campaign comes on the heels of Regions last big ad push for it’s “LifeGreen” checking and savings product.

The campaign is the work of Region’s ad agency, Luckie & Co.

“CENTER STAGE”
People shake a piggybank bearing Region’s “SAVE” artwork like a tambourine in rhythm with the bank’s distinct folksy, easy-going, down home jingle.

“FAMILY”
Shaking the “SAVE” piggybank tambourine is fun for kids, grandpa and the whole family.

“GOOD BUSINESS”
This one promises that doctors, carpenters and architects will enjoy remote deposit capture and a free “business financial review through Regions Cash Core Analysis.”

“Chuck & Leroy”

Meet Chuck and Leroy, two squirrels going nuts for First Tech Credit Union in a new brand advertising campaign called First Tech Fans.

The credit union worked up quite a backstory on their two little spokesquirrels. Chuck is a Western Gray Squirrel who enjoys making smart financial decisions. That’s why he he’s a member of First Tech Credit Union.

“Squirrels are really good at planning, always prepared and work tirelessly to achieve their goals.”
– Sean Blixseth,
First Tech agency R/West

Leroy is Chuck’s goofy but loveable “best friend forever,” as the credit union puts it. Chuck met Leroy about a year ago while both were out collecting nuts. Leroy enjoys lounging in his hammock and naming different types of nuts, but unlike Chuck, he doesn’t always make the smartest choices when it comes to planning for the future. Leroy is not a First Tech member…yet.

First Tech introduces Chuck and Leroy in a musical TV spot. The jingle is a folksy, down-home, banjo-picking narrative (it’s along the lines of The Beverly Hillbillies theme song). The lyrics present Chuck, a member of First Tech, as the smart squirrel, and Leroy as the dumb one:

Chuck. Leroy.
These squirrels will tell a story
of friends with different views,
financial don’ts and do’s.
One works out for little gain,
while the other tends to use his brain.
Chuck’s a member of First Tech
while Leroy risks his neck.
They’ll continue on
Just workin’ and havin’ fun.
But Chuck has the help of First Tech Credit Union.

“We’re hoping these quirky characters will demonstrate First Tech’s commitment to being an advocate for members,” according to a spokesperson with the credit union’s ad agency.

First Tech is also supporting the campaign with a microsite, firsttechfans.com, as well as billboards, radio spots and online advertising. All ads are running throughout First Tech’s major regions, which includes Portland, Salem and Lane County in Oregon and the Seattle, Washington area.

Future plans include expanding the microsite with Web 2.0 features that were described to The Financial Brand as “social media-esque.”

“You might start to see the Squirrels pop up on Twitter and Facebook from time to time,” the spokesperson said.

Based in Beaverton, Oregon, First Tech Credit Union has over 157,000 members and more than $2 billion in assets.

The campaign was developed by R/West. Chuck and Leroy were brought to life with help from Hidden City, a film production company, and Hive, an animation studio.

First Tech Fans
The microsite at firsttechfans.com where you can watch the launch TV spot, play three different Flash games and get tips on investing or buying a home.

Billboard

“Squirrel Chateau”
The squirrels start talking in this TV spot for home loans.
Leroy is a dumb squirrel who buys a bird’s nest.
Meanwhile, Chuck has bought a squirrel chateau with the help of First Tech.

To promote its new contactless payment technology, Barclaycard made a TV spot featuring a fantasy water slide. Conceived by creative agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty and shot in São Paulo, the TV spot features a man leaving work via a slide and passing various contactless payment sites on his way home.

According to a press release, the TV spot became an internet sensation on YouTube, with over 1.3 million views and a further 60,000 views for the ‘Making of…’ video.

For those who aren’t familiar, contactless cards allow people to make payments quickly and securely, saving shoppers the hassle of paying with cash or entering PIN codes into terminals. A secure sensor at the checkout counter senses an RFID chip on a contactless card, then immediately withdraws the purchase total.

The water slide metaphor works well as the campaign’s central creative device. It suggests using a new, potentially scary technology is actually fun and fast.

To extend the promotion, Barclaycard came up with a YouTube contest challenging people to make a water slide video of their own. The contest wrapped on April 5.

The winning video was a spoof of an 8-bit video game from the 80s. All of the artwork for 8-Bit Water Slide was built and animated in Flash, then printed and cut out and reanimated in real life.

The winning entry has been criticized as being an entertaining display of animation but not the wildly creative “water slide concept” called for in the contest.

The winner received a “once in a lifetime trip” around the world to the five coolest water slides ever built.

Key Takeaway: If you’re going to run a contest seeking User-Generated Content, this is a good way to go about it. Barclaycard set the strategy and established creative guidelines, not the contestants. You risk making a big mistake — one you might really regret — if you start handing over strategic decisions to the general public. Barclaycard gave people the basic framework, then asked people to take the idea and run with it. What Barclaycard didn’t do is ask folks to “submit creative ad ideas for a new contactless payment card.” The best brands are based on strategy and built very deliberately, not through a hodge-podge collection of various polls, drawings and contests.

Barclaycard’s campaign included a Flash-based game supporting the campaign.

This Flash-based game is a creative extension of the overall promotion. Unfortunately, the game itself is only so-so. There is a lone, solitary “level” that takes a little as 5 seconds to solve, giving the game almost zero replay value and greatly diminishing its viral quotient.

Earlier this year, The Financial Brand rated and reviewed other Flash-based games from financial institutions. Barclaycard’s Waterslide game would have got two stars out of five. The graphics and concept are good, but the game designers stopped too soon (or were cut short by budgetary constraints). There were unrealized opportunities to make the game much more cool, challenging and fun.