I mentioned the idea of running a game, contest, or competition before, right?  Not only is it fun for your customers, but it also gets your company, brand, or product stuck in their heads.  And that's a good thing.  We want them to remember us!  You don't even have to offer prizes or incentives… if the game is enough fun!

Google is doing just that with a new interactive holiday add-on for Google Earth.  Each day the search company will release a clue indicating where one of Santa's toys is hidden somewhere in Google Earth.  The clues will appear within Google Earth (I think) outside of Santa's workshop in the North Pole.  Using the clue, we're supposed to try and find the toy and (I assume) Google Earth will tell us if we're correct.  Each day a new clue will be revealed and the previous day's location will be announced.

While the details are scarce, it sounds like a lot of fun for kids (and kid-ish adults… like me).  People who have never used Google Earth are going to get into the game and get accustomed to how it works.  After the holidays, will they continue to use Google Earth?  Not all of them.  But I'm willing a bet a big chunk will.

Do you see how it's a win-win situation?  We get to have fun and Google gets to grow its user base.

Can you do the same thing?