The Pocket Geek
- Brand
- QNX
- Year
- 2008
- Objective
- Engagement
- Industry
- Tech & Telecom
- Mechanic
- Simulation & Strategy
- Platform
- Web
- Agency
- Fuel Industries
Objective
QNX Software Systems wanted to draw embedded-software developers into Foundry27, its members-only developer community, but knew technical marketing alone wouldn't build a community — print ads don't make people want to join something. The company needed a lighter, more playful hook to get developers curious enough to go looking for Foundry27 themselves.
Solution
The player takes on the role of QNX's newest hire, tasked with managing not code but a coder — a programmer racing to finish a major project in five days. Across the five-day countdown, the player keeps him fed, hydrated, entertained, and stocked with gadgets, watching his stress levels so he doesn't burn out before the deadline. Every action earns points that feed into a monthly leaderboard, with a $1,000 prize drawn from the same gadgets seen in the game. Once the project ships, the game closes with an invitation to join Foundry27.
- 1
The player lands on thepocketgeek.com, a standalone promotional site for QNX Software Systems, and is handed management of the "pocket geek" — a virtual QNX programmer who has five days to finish a major project.
- 2
The player views the programmer's desk and a set of items to supply him with — entertainment, food, drinks, and gadget toys — and chooses combinations of these to keep him alert and coding.
- 3
The player tracks status meters for the geek's condition; pushing them into the red too often burns him out early and the project goes unfinished.
- 4
At the end of the five days the player receives a score, ranked against other players over a monthly competition; the top monthly score wins a $1,000 prize pack of a PlayStation 3, an 8GB iPod touch, Harman Kardon SoundSticks speakers, a $50 ThinkGeek.com certificate, and QNX merchandise.
- 5
After finishing, the player is directed to Foundry27, QNX's developer portal, to learn about the company's open development community.
