Hidden City Games to Boost Online Player Interactions with Email Marketing
INDIANAPOLIS--(July 15, 2009)--Hidden City Games, Inc. announced today it has selected on-demand email and one-to-one marketing solutions provider ExactTarget to power the international email marketing efforts for its Bella Sara™ online world and products.
Hidden City Games will use ExactTarget’s Advanced Edition to connect Bella Sara to the more than 5 million girls worldwide who play the game both offline and online at BellaSara.com.
“Bella Sara is a game built on driving online dialogue, but we needed a way to keep girls and their parents engaged with the game between visits and purchases,” said Johanna Stern, marketing manager at Hidden City Games. “With players located in countries around the world, we also needed a way to communicate with players and their parents in multiple languages without having to build multiple messages or manage various coding requirements.”
The global gaming company will use ExactTarget’s triggered email feature to send a series of welcome notes and birthday greetings to players and their parents, and to power a monthly email newsletter announcing the latest product and game information. To ensure the Bella Sara communications reach the growing number of online players around the world, the company will use ExactTarget’s international sending technology to automatically select the language-based encoding required to render the email in the best language based on the recipient’s location.
“ExactTarget provides marketers the sophisticated platform required to connect with customers around the globe,” said Tim Kopp, ExactTarget’s chief marketing officer. “From Asia to Atlanta, global companies are choosing ExactTarget for our unmatched ability to automate and deliver the world’s most complete one-to-one marketing solution.”
The news of Hidden City Games selecting ExactTarget follows the launch of ExactTarget retail ‘how-to’ guide entitled, Retailers, Get Relevant. The 15-page guide provides retailers tips on how to use aggregated customer data to build targeted relevant messages that can be delivered via triggered email, voice messages and text messages to acquire, convert and retain the most profitable and loyal customers. The guide is free and is available online here.
About Hidden City Games
Hidden City Games, Inc., a venture-backed game publisher headquartered in Seattle, Washington, develops and markets games to interactively engage players and collectors of all ages. The company is best known as the publisher of Bella Sara™, a mainstream international entertainment property for children ages 5 and up. The inspirational, magical horse-themed brand with an expanding product line and online world was originally launched in North America in March of 2007 and was taken globally shortly after. Bella Sara products contain secret codes to unlock a magical world of horses, at a safe, fun-filled virtual world at BellaSara.com. Its family of products includes trading cards, toys, books, DVDs, video games, arts and crafts, games and puzzles, apparel, back to school, and more. For more information, visit www.hiddencitygames.com.
About Bella Sara™
Bella Sara™ is a magical world of horses where children can expand their imaginations through play. Originally launched in Denmark by Gitte Odder Braendgaard, Bella Sara inspires and empowers children with positive messages and the magic of North of North. First introduced to the North American market in 2007 by Hidden City Games, Inc., Bella Sara quickly expanded into an international children’s entertainment property. Since its introduction, Bella Sara has broadened its family of products from trading cards and virtual world (playable at BellaSara.com) to DVDs, toys, books, video games, arts and crafts, games and puzzles, apparel, back to school and more in the North American and International markets. Select Bella Sara products include secret codes that expand a children’s imagination with play while unlocking a magical experience into the world of North of North at BellaSara.com. By entering secret codes at BellaSara.com, children can discover the world with Bella Sara Adventures, casual games and activities.
About ExactTarget
ExactTarget, Inc. is a leading provider of on-demand email marketing software solutions.The company’s on-demand one-to-one marketing applications enable clients to send business-critical and event triggered communications to increase sales, optimize marketing investments and strengthen customer relationships.ExactTarget offers four editions of its on-demand software application along with integrated solutions such as ExactTarget for Salesforce.com AppExchange, ExactTarget for Microsoft Dynamics CRM and ExactTarget for Omniture Genesis. ExactTarget offers a range of optimization services including support, implementation and training, integration, deliverability, account management, design and deployment and strategic consulting.ExactTarget’s software powers permission-based email communications for thousands of organizations including CareerBuilder.com,Expedia.com, FloridaPower & Light, Gannett Co.,Inc/USATODAY, theIndianapolis Colts,The Home Depot, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,Liberty MutualGroup, Papa John’s and Wellpoint, Inc.For more information, please visit www.exacttarget.com or call 1-866-EMAILET.
