Branded Entertainment - Chevron Energyville

Chevron has launched a new online game called Energyville to educate people about energy supply and demand.

Energyville, is a well-executed piece of branded entertainment. Players create a town (like GoodtreeVille) and manage energy resources over a decades-long time period.

Each energy choice involves risks and rewards such as investment, security and the environment. By balancing the supply grid with different types of resources and accurately predicting future trends, players earn points.

The game is easy, fun and educational. It’s also wickedly clever marketing.

Energyville is a form of branded entertainment. Chevron’s message (we are wise stewards of your energy needs) is implied in the content but never overtly stated.

By engaging the consumer and capturing their attention, Chevron creates an opportunity to remake it’s brand image from smelly gas pumps and refineries to America’s clean energy company.

Can an online game do all that? Well, not by itself. But it’s a darn good start. And it demonstrates that someone gets it about entertaining and informing the public in a web 2.0 world.

Hats off to Chevron for a bold concept and a strong execution.

Play Energyville.