Now the movie business is hopping on the social media marketing train and leveraging the viral elements of hit Twitter games like Spymaster. Universal Pictures has just launched Bank Raids, an online game and microsite that marries the 1930's Chicago gang milieu with Facebook and Twitter to promote the upcoming movie Public Enemies.
The Bank Raids game challenges users to rise to the notorious level of criminal infamy that Public Enemies' main character, John Dillinger, achieved back in the 30s. Bank Raids offers a pretty intricate, yet simple, game play experience where you can rob banks, recruit gang members, buy guns, increase your notoriety, and hopefully avoid the long arm of the law.
On the social media front, the game allows users to sign in using Facebook Connect, post updates to Facebook and Twitter, and ultimately share and disperse criminal exploits using the #bankraids hashtag with a few clicks of a button.
Even though Bank Raids is one part social gaming and one part social media marketing, we think the game itself has enough merit to actually accomplish its purpose: engage users, create viral sharing via Facebook and Twitter, and ultimately promote the Public Enemies movie.