Pyramidion

Job Depth

Illustration

Creative Strategy

Advertising

Research

Market

Games & Entertainment

Game Prototyping

Revealing the Ridiculous nature of multi-level marketing schemes through fun

The Case

In recent years, MLMs (Multi-Level Marketing Schemes) have come under scrutiny from the public due to their exploitative and unethical business practices. Operating under a predatory recruitment model, businesses such as LuLaRoe and Amway have caused many to lose thousands of dollars in the pursuit of passive income.

Insights

1) There has been a rise in cultural intrigue around multi level marketing schemes and their operations.

2) Many people report having an experience with MLMs through friends and family at least once in their lifetime.

3) MLMs employ a variety of methods such as manipulation, false promises, and other cult-like tactics to recruit individuals into their business.

The Solution

Create a board game that exposes the ridiculous tactics and reality of multi level marketing business models.

Climbing the Corporate Pyramid

Multi-level marketing schemes have entered into the public consciousness through a very ludacris but relatable introduction. From Podcasts to your highschool classmate messaging you through facebook, most people have had some type of experience with MLMs one way or another. I decided that the best strategy to build audience familiarity was to place players within the shoes of MLM entrepreneurs.

It’s Nothing Personal

For the gameplay, I decided to categorize the cards into ‘Recruitment’, ‘PR’, and ‘Crisis’ cards. Their names and functions are heavily replicated based off of their real life counterparts. This decision helped further the narrative of players becoming MLM entrepreneurs by forcing them into highly parodized scenarios and situations that they would’ve encountered within such an industry.

Ad Campaign

For many, business is no place for monkeying around (unless you’re in a MLM.) In this ad strategy, the playable characters are shown interacting with one of the many game mechanics accompanied with headlines that promote playing dirty or winning by any means possible. It helps encourage deceit to win, which parallels the real life business structure of multi-level marketing schemes.