Shake and Bark!

Smart companies are starting to realise the potential of branded iPhone apps. Audi launched the first high profile branded app - a driving simulator that exploits the iPhone’s internal accelerometer to control your steering. What Audi did extremely well was it is recognised that when you build a branded iPhone app, people are using the app despite your brand’s affiliation, not because of it. The great thing about this app is that it is essentially a car game, like any other car game app, except with subtle Audi branding. In effect, people choose to use the app on a regular basis and actually want to tell their friends about it!

However, other companies, whilst coming up with innovative ideas, have not quite grasped the 'addictive-potential' of apps. A branded app that has novelty value is nice - but it's much better if the app makes you want to come back for more! Take the Pedigree 'Shake and Bark' app for an example:

This app lets you upload a photo of your beloved pooch and record its bark....nawwww cute...but somewhat pointless. Yes, it hits the mark by engaging with users' love of dogs, but it's a bit of a 'one-trick pony' - you're hardly going to come back for more! Perhaps it would be better to make a game where your player is a dog and you have to find packs of Pedigree for energy and so forth (wow, I should really be a game developer!)....but I guess this begs another question: Can a branded iPhone app only be truly successful if it encorporates the brand into a game format?