When most people think of this woman, they think of her outlandish outfits. However, even the pop star knows the power of social media. According to Forbes, she is reaching out through the popular social game, FarmVille, to draw people in to her music. What else from the real world will seep into the virtual one?
Later this month she will release singles from her upcoming ‘Born This Way album’ in a game called GagaVille.
To hear the exclusive tracks , which will be available a few days before the album’s May 23 release, players have to complete certain tasks, a la the typical style of FarmVille and its spawn of similar games.
It’s a first on both sides: the first time Lady Gaga has released music in this fashion; it is the first time Zynga is partnering with an artist to offer exclusive virtual items across as many as 10 games. For instance, Zynga is also rewarding players with limited edition Lady Gaga virtual items on RewardVille.com
To be fair, Lady Gaga could release new music through a musty window at her local DMV and people would still flock. But the choice of Zynga is telling: it is a nod to the game-maker’s entrenchment in social media, of course – but also indicates how potent a factor virtual goods have become to real world brands.
Photo by Lori Tingey