“In
addition to her in-game audio commentary, she provided a significant amount of
creative feedback. She hand-selected the majority of the outfits, accessories,
hairstyles, and other in-game items – and her deep involvement continues as we
roll out updates and new content – from the aesthetics to new locations and
features”
Glu Mobile Chief
Executive Officer Niccolo de Masi commenting on the success of the Kim
Kardashian: Hollywood App
Kim Kardashian might think I’m E-List,
but her Kim
Kardashian: Hollywood launched on Wednesday July 25th 2014 is
smoking hot as is her picture below.
Her
latest venture, an App called Kim
Kardashian: Hollywood, is on its ways to becoming a potential mega hit for App
Developer Glu Mobile as stated in the article
“Why
'Kim Kardashian: Hollywood' Is A $200 Million Hit App” published 7/16/2014
@ 8:03AM by Maseena Ziegler, Forbes. Their stock Price is already up and so is
their App on the Apple iTunes Store and
Google Play Store Charts!
But
the most surprising stat of all is the rate at which it’s generating revenue,
reaching some US$1.6 million in the first five (5) days since it was posted on Wednesday
July 25th 2014 on the Apple
iTunes Store as well as Google Play
Store. At that rate assuming the same rate every five (5) days, it’ll reach
approximately US$50 million; apparently the people doing the calculations are
way more optimistic than me!
And
that’s just the Game, as there are reports of her planning to do a book soon as
stated in “On
the Heels of Her App Comes Kim Kardashian: The Book”, published 11:42 am ET
Aug 11, 2014 By LYNEKA LITTLE, Wall Street
Journal.
So
why would a game about a Celebrity with her own Television Reality show and a
set of stores selling clothes that she and her sisters Khloe and Kourtney
Kardashian designed together be a hit? I’m not being sarcastic, as I don‘t do
sarcasm; this genuinely puzzles me, as most people balk at the prospect for
spending real money on virtual goods in a game made by people
who are already loaded…..except if
it’s smurfberries of course.
Those
are worth every dollar. But why Keep up with the Kardashians?
Kim Kardashian:
Hollywood – Anatomy of a 5 Star Game about an A-List Celebrity
First
off the bat is the developers Glu Mobile.
They originally approached Kim
Kardashian to advise them in the making of the App, choosing to combine her
celebrity and their tried-and-tested Gaming model from a previous hit game name
Stardom Hollywood.
With her consent, they decided to rebrand it
with her name as stated in “The
Mastermind Behind Kim Kardashian's Insanely-Popular App Explains How The Hit
Game Was Created”, published AUG. 10, 2014, 8:35 AM, by STEVEN TWEEDIE, Business Insider.
In
fact if you watch Keeping up with the Kardashians, you’ll soon notice that in
some episodes she’ll soon start making stop over visits at Glu Mobile’s San Francisco, California
Headquarters to give her personal input on the latest of what she’s wearing so
the game remains current.
Note
that it was with her consent and DIRECT INPUT, as she personally voices her
character and chooses every stitch of the outfits, accessories and hairstyles, effectively
infusing her personality into the game. That alone explains its popularity, as
once players know that very thing had her input, they are guaranteed that the App
is the closest they'll ever get to actually talking to her.
If
you remember my article on YouTubers and the reason why they're popular as per
my blog article
entitled “Variety
Survey says YouTubers more popular than Hollywood Celebrities – Popularity
driven by Teenage Fandoms and iCarly Effect”, you'd realize that by having
her own Game, she's effectively leveraging the iCarly Effect.
Fans
feel a more personal connection knowing this, in much the same way they can
connect with their YouTube heart throbs via Social Media. Apps aren't, strictly
speaking Social Media. But the fact that the Apps update almost weekly with her
latest clothing and shoes and accessories that she wears on her hit TV Series
Keeping up with the Kardashians gives you the impression that you are LITERALLY
keeping up with her and getting actual advice in her Voice.
It’s
that personal touch, much in the same way that Rapper Andre Romelle Young aka Dr. Dre
personally chooses the music in the Beats Audio Streaming service, which makes
all the difference. Customer feel a more personal connection to a Celebrity if
they realize that which they’re buying has the personal touch and input of a
famous Celebrity.
Combined
with Celebrity Advertising and their 70% rate of conversion of Free to Paid
accounts, it goes a long way to explaining why Apple was willing to shell out
some US$3.2 billion to purchase Beats Electronics as noted in my blog article entitled “Apple
officially confirms Beats Audio Purchase - US$3.2 Billion as Apple gears up for
Subscription Streaming and improved Headphones”.
A
similar concept applies to the Kim
Kardashian: Hollywood Game. To her fans, most like the one that
gave it that solid 5-Star rating in the Apple
iTunes Store, it comes off thus as an accurate walk through her glamorous
lifestyle.
Kim Kardashian:
Hollywood – How to play a Game that takes you From E-List to A-List
The
concept behind her game is blessedly simple. In fact, it’s no different from any
Casual Game. But the Game is anything but casual if you have to be Keeping up
with Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian, who plays a kind
of Demi-God in the game, guides you from the lower rungs of Hollywood society
as a E-Lister, reserved for bloggers like myself, to the very tippy-top of that
pyramid, the A-Listers. And based on the reviews thus far, the game’s extremely addictive like smurfberries
was for Apple as pointed out in “Apple
to refund at least $32.5M for kids' in-App purchases”, published January
15, 2014 9:24 AM PST by Lance Whitney, CNET
News.
But
there's a catch; tasks require Energy, represented by packs of Lightning Bolts
of various values of K-Stars, the equivalent in Kim Kardashian World which you
must purchase in order to do tasks. With the frustration of waiting hours to
build up your energy naturally, you'll eventually be tempted to add a Credit
Card and purchase those K-Stars to start popping those Energy Bolts, which
surprisingly looks a lot like the White Lady.
Here’s
a sneak peek of the prices of the most popular In-App purchases:
1.
Small Star Pack US$4.99
2.
Medium Star Pack US$9.99
3.
Small Cash Stack US$4.99
4.
Large Star Pack US$19.99
5.
Rising Star Pack US$3.99
6.
Medium Cash Stack US$9.99
7.
Rising Star Special US$1.99
8.
XL Star Pack US$39.99
9.
Quick-charge Energy US$4.99
10.
Large Cash Stack US$19.99
Like
that game involving the little blue guys, you’ll soon find yourself impulsively
reaching got your Credit Card to purchase K-Stars and popping pills….er…I mean
Lightning Bolts of Energy. All just in a bid to keep up with Kim Kardashian and her witty
commentary that is done in her actual voice!
All
part of the charm of the game that makes you fall under her spell….and slowly
run up your Credit Card Bill as noted in “The
Evil Genius of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood”, published August 07, 2014 By
Emma Rosenblum, BusinessWeek.
Keeping up Kim
Kardashian – Celebrity based Apps propel In-App Purchases
Because
the App follows so closely what going on the show and is frequently updated by
her personally, her fans and following grow as they see the App as yet another
way to connect with her. This drives the desire to be like her and follow her
advice to be an A-Lister in a game that a fairly accurate representation of the
vacuous and image-conscious Hollywood.
But
it's an expensive trip.
From
there, according to Tracie Egan Morrissey of Jezebel in her article “Oh
God, I Spent $494.04 Playing the Kim Kardashian Hollywood App”,
published 7/01/14 2:15pm by Tracie Egan
Morrissey, Jezebel you can easily burn
through approximately US$500 just to make it up to the A-List and still be
unable to Keep up with the Kardashians.
Game
Developers Take note!
Aside
from making an addictive game App like Flappy Birds and making money from In-App
Advertising as noted in my blog article
entitled “Developer
Dong Nguyen takes down US$50000 a day Flappy Bird App - Unwanted Media
Attention leaves DotGears Game as the first In-App Advertising Gaming App”,
you can also make an App using a Celebrity as your muse…..so long as they
approve of you using their likeness in the Video Game.
But
this Game’s promise of fame and glamour if you choose to just keep buying
K-Stars to do the tasks that she bids you do ensure you’ll be spending a long
time just trying to Keep up with the
Kardashians. Therein, it sees, lays its secret genius.
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