Air New Zealand’s New Facebook Game Is A Wannabe FarmVille
Posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009
You know how sometimes we complain that airlines invest in social media just so they can say they've invested in social media, with their "investments" quickly becoming "predictable losses" that we end up paying for (often in the form of insanely obnoxious opaque fees)? There's a lot of back and forth on the debate, and we understand that reasonable people will differ over whether an airline needs a Facebook page for branding purposes. But can't we all agree that Air New Zealand's new Facebook game Jump Seat—developed because some consultant showed some middle manager the user statistics from Farmville—is painfully stupid?
Here's how it goes:
Jump Seat players can upload pictures to create their very own avatars as Air New Zealand Flight Attendants or First Officers. Once en route, players answer trivia questions, play mini games and complete onboard tasks... Recruit Facebook friends to help fluff pillows for the lie-flat beds; recommend and refill New Zealand wine, a key component of the airline's world-class service; send fellow flight attendants gifts of energy points for a boost; and tag team to ensure all passengers have an excellent in-flight experience.
