Converse Strategic Development: The Culture of Play and Games

1. STREET GAMES
Inspiration for Converse Product Development
Prepared for John Sheehan April 24, 2005

2. Introduction
As kids we found numerous ways to amuse and entertain ourselves,
either out of boredom or necessity. We used our instincts and creativity
to invent new games and activities or improvised older ones. We
creatively used what was at our disposal - landscape, homes, objects,
structures, and people - to make time more fun and original
Our neighborhood streets and open areas became arenas, stadiums,
and giant game boards playing host to tag football, street hockey, stick
ball, soccer, hide & seek, kick the can, 1-2-3 Go, hop scotch, etc
In every country and culture unorganized “street” play, where the kids
are in control, is a rite of passage; rituals and games are organically
passed from one generation to the next, spawning newer versions of
traditional games

3. GAMES PLAY
F
R
E
E
D
O
M
FUN

4. Why we Play
We play to have fun, to take a break from “what we have to do”, and to
amuse ourselves and others. We play alone or with others, finding
interesting and alternate ways to enjoy our time
As kids play - organized or socially - it allows them to develop and learn
new skill sets they will use later in life - organization, honor, fairness,
teamwork, etc. Playing allows us to make our own decision, choices
that will influence how we act, and helps develop our personalities
As we get older we always default back to our memories and lessons
from playing - as work becomes more important and we play less, our
desire to return to our childhood roots is evident in popular culture
programming content, life style activities, devices, etc

6. The Role of Play in Life
60+ PLAY > WORK
50s-60s
40s-50s
20s-30s PLAY < WORK
Teens
Adolescence
Childhood PLAY > WORK

7. How we Play
Inventiveness and creativity are the hallmarks of kids’ street and urban
games - making something out of nothing, creating your own world
representing your values, dreams, aspirations, heroes, imagination, etc
Games get handed down from generation to generation, and each new
Generation adapts the rules and guidelines to fit their environments.
Other games involve fantasy and acting out our heroes while playing in
the street, from MJ to Joe Montana…it all happens in the streets - its
where dreams are initially seeded
Urban games are born out of necessity to preoccupy ourselves and fill
time; summer times are filled with play and fun from camp to playing in
the street and at school

8. CONTINUUM OF PLAY
STRUCTURE IMAGINATION
School Recess Camp Extra Organized TV St. Games Movies Video Hobbies Internet
Curricular Sports Games
Activities
PROCESS FREEDOM

9. What we Play

10. Where we Play
The city is the
• Asphalt game board
• Street
• Sidewalk
• Backyard
• Neighborhood
• School Street action as
• Playground game play
• On the stoop
• Inside the home
NO BOUNDARIES

11. We are Returning to Playing Urban Games
Living environments are becoming more dense as suburbia continues to
grow. There now exists a closer relationship between the games kids play
in the city and in suburbia
Urban street games tend to have simple rules, need few people, and take
no time to get going. Use of the environment is critical - fields of play are
streets, sidewalks, walls, and stoops/porches - equipment is minimal and
typically household items used out of context
There are no play dates, organization, time limits, planning, or parental
approval. Just people getting together and collectively forming their own
imaginative worlds

12. Urban Inspired Video Games
Video game titles feature “urban” and “street” games; putting a spin on
traditional organized games by creating a fantasy and returning us to our
roots. How kids play has inspired a new generation of video game titles

13. Street Game-Inspired Communications
Marketers in most lifestyle category are communicating with creative
messages that are tailored to a more multicultural consumer - “mash up”
or “fusion” between cultures is putting urban street games and urban-ness
on the map
“TAG” SHOXPLOTATION

14. EMERGING URBAN & STREET GAMES

15. VIDEO GAMES URBAN STREET
LIVE GAMES
ACTIO
N
SPORT

16. Pac-Manhattan is a large-scale urban game that utilizes the New York City grid to recreate the 1980's
video game sensation Pac-Man. This analog version of Pac-man is being developed in NYU's
Interactive Telecommunications graduate program, in order to explore what happens when games are
removed from their "little world" of tabletops, televisions and computers and placed in the larger "real
world" of street corners, and cities
A player dressed as Pac-man will run around the Washington square park area of Manhattan while
attempting to collect all of the virtual "dots" that run the length of the streets. Four players dressed as
the ghosts Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde will attempt to catch Pac-man before all of the dots are
collected
Using cell-phone contact, Wi-Fi internet connections, and custom software designed by the Pac-
Manhattan team, Pac-man and the ghosts will be tracked from a central location and their progress will
be broadcast over the internet for viewers from around the world

17. WHIFFLE & URBAN GOLF
Whiffle Golf is played by using a whiffle ball and wedges on a homemade
course with obstacles everywhere. You keep score in the traditional manner,
however the course is much smaller, so scoring is more difficult than actual golf
Urban Golf is played in the streets using a traditional golf ball. Players identify
the holes based on the city landscape. Imagination is key as the ball will just roll
with the absence of grass

18. URBAN HUNT
Urban Hunt as known as Fugitive or Escape is a game played amongst several
people; one person is the fugitive while the rest are trackers. The fugitive is
given chalk and a head start of 100 seconds. As the fugitive escapes he must
draw an arrow every time he changes direction

19. DIGITAL STREET GAME
Digital Street Game is a hybrid game of misadventure set on the streets of New York.
Its a battle for turf, a contest of wills - in short - an excuse to explore the city. Players
compete for turf by performing and documenting stunts on the physical streets of New
York in order to claim territory on a virtual map
Stunts are comprised of a random combination of 3 elements: 1) an object commonly
found in the city (e.g. bodega) 2) a street game (e.g. stickball) and 3) a wildcard/urban
situation (e.g. happy hour)
Players interpret these elements as they wish, then stage and photograph their stunt in
order to claim a spot on the map. The more stunts players perform the more turf they
claim. But of course some players may want to compete for the same territory. In order
to hold on to territory, players stunts must score high with the rest of the game
community

20. EXTREME KNOCKING
Extreme Knocking is a team prank sport played all over the world. The premise is to
ring as many doorbells as possible in a given area without getting caught. Typical
extreme knockers cover their faces with bandanas and strike at night, waking up an
entire neighborhood

21. FREE RUNNING
Free Running (le parkour) treats the urban landscape as an adult playground. It treats
man-made structures as an obstacle course that participants negotiate by daring feats of
graceful gymnastics. Similar to inline skating and skateboarding but without the device.

22. CONSUMER UNDERSTANDING

23. Consumer Insight
As young adult consumers transition life stages, from dependency to
independence, they are feeling constrained by the new pressures and
responsibilities of adulthood. They seek brands and products that
allow them to express themselves in an original way, like they used
to as a kid…freedom, ingenuity, creativity, imagination…
They no longer want to conform or be “cookie cutter” persons, they are
looking to set themselves apart from their peers. Fashion has always
been the staple to announce who you are, what you’re about, and where
you’re going
Footwear’s role has become increasingly important as a key differentiator,
and is literally “what moves them” - emotionally and rationally

24. Consumer Verbatims - Games we Play
• “…I play catch-up…I’m always trying to catch up with my friends’ schedules; we are all so
busy now, if we don’t chase each other we never see one another…” Sarah, 24
• “…I don’t know if you call it playing but I still hang out in the neighborhood or the stoop
catching up, cracking jokes, and having a good time…” Marlon, 23
• “…Pick up football in Central Park once a month with my college buddies…” Preston, 27
• “…I did one of those city challenges, where you team up with people and go after a prize…”
Tim, 22
• “…co-ed Twister. Was cool in college and still is…” Paul, 25
• “…I have nephews that I’m always playing with…tag, punch buggy, etc…” Lee, 26

26. IMPLICATIONS

27. • Life is a game for young adults - they are looking to make life’s
responsibilities and challenges more fun than just a task or mandate
• Consumers are always eager to participate in games in almost any
format - tv, video, sweepstakes, lottery, etc…it’s the opportunity to win
and have more fun than they are right now
• Brands that know how to deliver an emotional product experience first
before a product experience, have the greatest chance of connecting
with young adults
• Young adults are looking for ways to make life more pleasurable and
interesting
• Street games never go away they get reinvented