May 06
24
Playing RPS for big Moola
I read about this company on Tech Crunch called Moola which is in essence a sort of “who wants to be a millionaire” that anyone can play (once it is out of beta, of course). Each person begins with one penny, which they can double by beating another player with one penny at a couple of games. The trick is that the player is forced to watch a 30 second ad and then answer a question about it (thus proving that they have actually watched it) before they are allowed to play the game. An interesting business model, but not a unique one. The whole pay-to-watch-ads deal sort of flamed out with the Web bust in 2001 (I can’t remember the names of any of the players back then). Maybe this time around and with this format it could work.
So I managed to obtain an invitation and try it out. After the reg process I skipped past the Gold Rush game and went straight for a game called Rosh Sham Bo Fu (a Rock Paper Scissors type game). Full disclosure: I am the Managing Director of the World Rock Paper Scissors Society and Author of The Official Rock Paper Scissors Strategy Guide) and thus have a vested interest in all things RPS (not to mention access to the best RPS strategies). Theoretically, if I won 30 consecutive doubling rounds of RPS starting with one penny I would have $10,737,418.24 which happens to be the exact amount I require to live in the manner to which I wish to become accustomed.
As an advertiser, I can see how this might be a decent thing to be able to purchase media on a “cost-per-comprehension” basis. However, I still think it highlights my main question about mass advertising which is why can’t ads be worth watching on their own merits rather than bribing people to pay attention to them. Now this in not an indictment of Moola, they are just filling the void created by the ad agencies. I guess I just believe that in an on-demand world ads must at least be worth at least the time required to view them without payment.
So in the spirit of paying people to pay attention, I have one Moola invitation left and will provide it to the first person who comments on this post asking for one.
