Buy stuff in real life and get virtual currency.
That's the premise behind a new deal between American Express and Zynga. Starting Tuesday, the Zynga Serve Rewards program will offer "rich in-game incentives for everyday spending," according to the companies. The initiative is available through FarmVille. Players of that game can plant a Serve Money Tree in their farms, which lets them level up to earn Zynga Farm Cash to redeem virtual rewards.
To get the card, consumers can register and then receive one in the mail. After funding the card via a bank account, debit card, credit card or cash, consumers can then earn Farm Cash rewards. Initially, such rewards will be only given out for the first five purchases of $25 or more on the Zynga Serve Rewards card. As the program expands, all purchases will net in-game rewards, which will be tracked via an in-game dashboard. The card will also link up with other games, including CityVille and CastleVille.