Playcafe - online game shows

Here’s a pitch I was too slow to mention, but it’s still worth discussing the product.

The Company

Playcafe.com is an online game show channel, utilising ustream to get its programming out to the world. The programmes are live, offering watchers the chance to interact with the hosts through the chat and offers prizes to participants, with 2 hour-long shows daily. It launched last year and is in open beta, increasing its output as it goes. It can be seen as the usual web2.0 company, but by employing a PR agency and doing promotional events, using the behaviour of more traditional companies, are signs that it wants to expand.

The Offering

Ken Jennings, who made a record-breaking appearance on Jeopardy, was the guest star on one of the shows:

Ken will play against everyone watching via the web on a real-time video quiz show to determine whether or not he is, still, smarter than the rest of the world.

This is not the only promotion they are doing; the team are out there pushing themselves and their service, such as with this appearance on TWiT.tv with Amber MacArthur

What I think about it

If I was interested in gameshows*, this would be a draw for me, the chance to interact with a game show hero, demonstrating all aspects of the service. As their CEO Mark Goldenson says:

“Ken Jennings is a legend in game shows, and having him play against and chat with people everywhere is a hint of what PlayCafe.com and internet TV can make possible,”

I like what Playcafe is doing as well, with their intentions to expand to be all day programming. Although how it will scale to any large, relevant audience remans to be seen. I’m pretty sure the tech is not quite there yet.

The Pitch

From Marco of Atomic PR, a company that has Blogger Relations as one of their core offerings, the pitch is OK only. Some images would help, maybe some video as it’s a video channel. The promotional idea is good though, Jennings is US game show hero and promotes himself as such, doing quite a few endorsements. For an online game show channel, getting him involved is a great PR idea.

*Two ‘gameshows’ I do watch are University Challenge and Mastermind, one thing they have in common is there are no gimmicks that are so prevalent on other shows to ratchet up tension. They tend to just get on with it.