FarmVille Gets Political (Sort Of)

It was only a matter of time.

It's campaign season, and as such we denizens of America are once again treated to a world of news, debate, and everyone's favorite: marketing campaigns. Now that we've found ourselves firmly entrenched in this Brave New World of social media - and by extension, social media-centric games - the bother has kicked into high gear.

Rebecca Donatelli works for "Campaign Solutions," a company that describes itself as an "online consulting firm specializing in fundraising, advertising, mobile, social media, and web development." Donatelli was hired by unf**kable hosebeast and a walking affront to decent people everywhere Michele Bachmann, as part of her strategy - one that is becoming standard fare amongst political candidates - to use the popularity of social media, particularly facebook, to spread awareness and mobilize supporters, as well as those that are in the candidate's target demographic.

From the San Fransisco Chronicle:

The campaigns are able to churn out so many ads because Facebook makes it cheap and easy to do, especially compared with TV spots or even Google Ads, which can reach many more people but not necessarily the ones most likely to respond favorably. Facebook ads can be had for 50 cents or less per click - and by counting those clicks, the campaigns know within minutes whether they're working.

Crucial to this strategy is a man named Michael Hendrix, "a consultant in Dallas who works with Donatelli on the Bachmann campaign." Hendrix has reportedly written quite a bit of code for the project, part of which will involve a campaign allowing players of FarmVille to make their political opinions known. Yes, FarmVille, the bane of my facebook page, will soon broadcast not only innane updates about the state of your friends' cattle stock; it may, god willing, allow you to bear witness to the political opinions of people you know/kind of know/didn't have the heart to reject their friend request. So while you sit on the edge of your seat, waiting for a stalwart activist to approach your door (apparently this will be a feature) and scream "RON PAUL RON PAUL," timidly encourage you to "Vote for Barack Obama - you know, if you don't mind... I mean, I don't want to be pushy or anything," or try to convince you that Rick Perry is not George W. Bush's pet homunculus, let us all give a collective firing of the hate ray, the heat of which has the power to melt atoms and set fire to the wings of angels shout out to Donatelli & Hendrix for their hard, and not at all profoundly annoying work.

Remember, kids: The fun never stops when you're online.