These days, it's not unusual for insurance companies to jump into the deep end of the social media pool. Whether it's Allstate responding directly (and publicly) to complaints voiced through Twitter or State Farm posting videos and claim news and tips to its more than 28,000 fans on Facebook, it's clear that the industry is intent on embracing new and innovative ways of connecting with its policyholders and potential customers.
The latest entrant to this burgeoning field came last month, when Farmers Insurance Group introduced perhaps one of the more unique ideas yet when it partnered with the makers of FarmVille to provide virtual crop insurance for gamers.
For those who have managed to escape this particular pop-culture phenomenon, here's the gist: FarmVille is a popular, real-time simulation game that allows players predominantly on Facebook to manage a virtual farm, much in the tradition of Old McDonald. To "win" — or in this case, to achieve higher levels of success — players must plant, grow, and harvest virtual crops and trees, as well as raise livestock. In addition, players add landscaping, houses, and other luxury items such as pools and wind farms. As in real life, anything that is left untended soon withers or dies from neglect.
Farmers' partnership with the game means that players download a zeppelin emblazoned with the company's logo that hovers over the farm and prevents crops from withering for 10 days. These real-world consequences and connections not only help drive an understanding of insurance but also show that Farmers can be savvy in the PR department and connect with its customers. After all, the game claims to have more than 59 million active players, many of whom are rabid fans with extensive farm architectural features and sophisticated layouts.
As misfortune would have it, the same day the collaboration launched, disturbing news emerged about FarmVille's creator, Zynga Game Network, Inc. According to an investigative report conducted by the Wall Street Journal, Zynga was one of several companies accused of transmitting personal information about users' Facebook information as well as their friends to outside companies. According to the report, the apps reviewed by the WSJ, including FarmVille, "were sending Facebook ID numbers to at least 25 advertising and data firms, several of which build profiles of Internet users by tracking their online activities."
It should be noted that the report included a statement from a Zynga spokeswoman that said, "Zynga has a strict policy of not passing personally identifiable information to any third parties. We look forward to working with Facebook to refine how web technologies work to keep people in control of their information."
I can't be certain, but I'd venture to guess that this was not the kind of attention Farmers Insurance Group was looking for when it came up with such a benign — and fun — promotional tool. This demonstrates the increasing risks insurers face in today's world that demands not just an online presence, but one that is engaging and interactive. Are insurers ready to face such vulnerabilities and lose control of their message?
Much like Pandora's Box, once the lid is popped on social media, there's no going back.
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