Overview

ID Media designed and developed the Times Spelling Bee website at the end of 2008. Following the success of the website, we proposed that an iPhone application be built to capitalize on the growth and interest in mobile applications.

Brief

The brief required us to take one of the online games and transpose this onto the iPhone platform. The mobile application was to be used as an extension of the website – promoting The Times as leaders in education and generating added value PR for The Times.

Approach

We analysed which of the online games was most suited to being played on a mobile device and focused on optimising the game play so that players would be encouraged to play the game repeatedly. Our design approach included taking common elements from the website version of the game and rolling these out into the app in order to establish a relationship between the website and the mobile application.

Solution

ID Media's solution involved taking the most popular game from the website and developing an app around this concept. Features that promote reuse were implemented. These included a performance-related area where stats, top scores and a progress graph are included.

The game includes a mechanism that will update the app with more word clues when a data connection is available. Different difficulty levels are included so that a wider audience is targeted.

The look and feel of the app is consistent with other cross-campaign Times Spelling Bee materials which reinforces the brand.

Results

The app featured in the App Store home page ‘New and Noteworthy' section for 10 days after launch. It was the top application in the Education category in the App Store two weeks after launch.

The app's success resulted in ID Media developing another mobile variation of the game for the Windows Mobile platform. Both of the apps are available on the Times Spelling Bee website.