The Angry Birds Marketing Case Study: What They Did Right

It is rare that a mobile game reaches such status as to be included on a list of overall video games. But Angry Birds managed to break the mold and launch into the mainstream. People all over the world adore this game, and it went from being a clever app to a global phenomenon. The other day I was at my child's school and I saw a kid wearing an Angry Birds t-shirt. That alone shows how the game has managed to capture a spot in a market that it seems it would have been impossible to break into.

When looking at the game, it is tempting to say it was luck. After all, some terrible things become successful and some wonderful ones don't. It may be possible that Angry Birds was just a beneficiary of the elements aligning, and nothing more is behind it. But this kind of thinking is wrong, and completely misses the genius of both the game and the marketing campaign, a case study that shows exactly how content should be marketed in today's age of technological furvor.

The Game

First of all, we have the game itself. When you have a good product, you have the foundation for laying on a good marketing campaign. You will notice that even clever marketing gimmicks can often fall short once the end product is released. What you are selling has to be strong enough to stand on its own, regardless of how it is packaged.

Angry Birds stands on its own just fine. It is simple to play for anyone, whatever skill level they have at video games. This makes it an app that manages to span across generation gaps that have started to mean less since the introduction of mobile gaming and technology.

It is also addictive. The amount of hours the average fan has spent playing this game is astronomical. Because it is simple, yet the gameplay itself increases in challenge, it gives you just enough to leave you wanting to keep playing through to the end. Basically, it is easy but not too easy, and everything from the concept to the design was mastered beautifully.

Finally, you have the big one: it is a multi-platform game. Anyone can play Angry Birds because it is available for just about anything. Certain versions of the game are only available for some platforms, such as the new Angry Birds Friends which is available on the iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle. But others, like Angry Birds Star Wars, or the original, are available for multiple mobile devices, tablets, Kindle, Mac, PC and now the PSP. It isn't a game that limits itself to a certain demographic.

The Campaign

The first thing you need to know about Rovio (the makers of Angry Birds) is that they didn't just come up with an awesome idea and it launched them into stardom. They have been making apps and games for a long time, and without much success. In fact, many of their releases were complete bombs, and they lost money on their venture. Despite that, they kept going and finally made it big.

Once they had found success with Angry Birds, they pushed it. Hard. Merchandise started showing up in online stores, everything from clothing to bumper stickers. They used their popularity to sell as much related to the game as possible, all in a short time after it gained popularity. Showing us how important it is to strike while the iron is hot.

Along with this merchandise came other versions of the game. Angry Birds is constantly being updated with new versions that are, essentially, gimmicks. Come on, Angry Birds Star Wars Edition? But they work, and keep customers returning again and again.

Through this mixture of releasing merchandise, allowing cross-platform use and constant updates have made Angry Birds a huge success. It has also made Rovio a marketing powerhouse.

What Others Say?

Q. Do you play (did you ever play) Angry Birds? Did you keep wondering "Why is it so popular?" Did you find it addicting?

A. Jice_Lavocat(Elokenz Founder)

I played angry birds in the past (though I am not a a frequent mobile gamer).

I keep on wondering why Angry Bird got such a popularity, but I have the feeling it comes from marketing and advertisement.

My opinion about the game : I loved the designs and especially the sounds. I think every player will recognize the sound of a bird when you launch it. I remember having talked about friends about the game... it's very easy to play, so every type of person can play it (even your grandma)

A. sandystach(Writer and IT Project Manager)

I have been playing Angry Birds since the first version was introduced. I continue to play it along with Angry Birds: Seasons, Star Wars, Space, and Friends. I can definitely say that I find it addicting. I absolutely love the game - obviously, or I wouldn't play them all.

I'm really not sure why it is so popular. With games it can be hard to pinpoint an exact reason. Sometimes, it's simplicity while other times it's the humor in the game. This game is challenging and since Angry Birds Friends came out, playing against my Facebook friends makes it an even bigger challenge.

Q. Your opinion: Why did Angry Birds have such a phenomenal success?

A. Jice_Lavocat(Elokenz Founder)

I think it comes from marketing/advertisement plus a lovely game with nice designs and sounds. I don't personally find it addictive.

Virality sometime comes from early pushes people do on an app. If you ask your player to vote for your app on the store and if you are the only one to do it at this time, then you get a franc advantage.

A. sandystach(Writer and IT Project Manager)

It's hard to say what exact thing makes this game such a success. But, as I mentioned in my other answer, the game is challenging. It is challenging without being impossible. The concept is comical - I mean really - birds knocking down pigs?! It's easy to understand - there is nothing complicated about it. Additionally, the game has several versions, is updated often, and I have yet to find any kind of bug in any version.

I believe all of that added up could be why it is so successful.

Conclusion

There have been many wildly popular apps, but none have the Cinderella story that Rovio's Angry Birds does. It is the perfect example of how to do things right. I, for one, am looking forward to the coming releases unrelated to Angry Birds that I hope will come from the company in the future.