Beefy Stands Up For The Little Man
UPDATE BELOW - Dec. 19, 2005
I wrote an email to CGN,a Skyworks Company, who's putting out Flash games that are really well done, and they're putting them on websites that sign up to be affiliates. Ebaumsworld has something to do with it, or it's just the site that is trying the service out to start it off. You can play CGN's bowling or air hockey games there.
Anyway, I wrote an email to CGN to become an affiliate. Basically you get to put one or all of their games onto your website so people can play these awesome games on your site, and it's supposed to increase traffic to your site. The best part of the deal is, you can make money too, but it's free for you to do, so you lose nothing and gain everything. Companies or websites will pay CGN to advertise on these games while the games are being played. At least that's the way I understood it. And apparently if they request to advertise on your site on those games, then you make some cash from it.
So, I get a response. This is the entire email, word for word.
Subject: Skyworks-CGN (Casual Games Network) Affiliate Program
From: "Ryan Lollgen" rlollgen@skyworks.com
Date: Fri, December 16, 2005 10:15 am
To: beefybooyawn@yahoo.com
Beefy,
Thank you for your interest in The Casual Games Network (www.cgngames.com). CGN will launch in January 2006 and is signing up key affiliate partners now. Unfortunately your site does not meet the CGN requirements of traffic over 500,000 unique monthly visitors and the required demographic and content mix. If you own or represent other sites that may meet our requirements please don't hesitate to contact us. Good luck.
Ryan Lollgen
Skyworks Technologies, Inc. - CGN
CGN Partner Development
This pissed me off. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally cool with their rules and regulations. It's expected. I'd be stupid to think there wouldn't be any rules to this. But one part of what he said pissed me off. So here's my response.
Subject: Re: Skyworks-CGN (Casual Games Network) Affiliate Program
From: "Beefy Booyawn" beefybooyawn@yahoo.com
Date: Fri, December 16, 2005 6:17 pm
To: "Ryan Lollgen" rlollgen@skyworks.com
So the idea is to boost revenue and traffic to sites, but you're only looking for sites that get a shit load of revenue and traffic already, so you're only helping to keep them at the top instead of trying to help some other good sites below them get some time in the spot light? That's messed up. I understand the rest of it, and that's fine. But that deal of how many visitors a month... that's the game of life. Keep the poor poor, and keep the wealthy wealthy.
Thanks anyway. I wouldn't want to spoil everyone's good time. And I hope your business takes off. Us little guys will be playing your games on all the big websites one day.
Owned.
So, do me a favor and email me telling me what you think about this, and I'll post it here no matter what you write to me. But I want to know if you think I'm getting pissed off for no reason, if I'm looking too far into it, or if I'm right. Let me know.
I'll also post here any more updates in this conversation with Ryan.
UPDATE 12-19-06: I have heard from a few people offering support, and I appreciate it. However, here is the newest email from Ryan.
Subject: Re: Skyworks-CGN (Casual Games Network) Affiliate Program
From: "Ryan Lollgen" rlollgen@skyworks.com
Date: Mon, December 19, 2005 10:26 am
To: beefybooyawn@yahoo.com
Beefy,
I empathize with you and understand your point. Our goal here is not restrict membership in the program. Unfortunately, in order for this business model to be both successful and profitable it is necessary to guarantee our advertisers enough traffic to ensure product visibility. Without that, it would be impossible to sell enough inventory to sustain the model. I hope this helps explain our situation here a little better and we do sincerely wish you the best of luck with your site.
Regards,
Ryan
That was nice of him, wasn't it? I half expected him to come out yelling and throwing shit. So I replied, because my point still wasn't taken. At least I didn't think so. And I had been drinking. Yes I realize this all happened today...
Subject: Re: Skyworks-CGN (Casual Games Network) Affiliate Program
From: "Beefy Booyawn" beefybooyawn@yahoo.com
Date: Mon, December 19, 2005
To: "Ryan Lollgen" rlollgen@skyworks.com
Ryan, I totally understand that and I'm fine with that. The point here is, your website where I got my information said that the website that webmasters plan on putting your games should be able to hold a lot of traffic. This made me think that your games are going to be bringing traffic to my site. The fact of the matter is, my site should already be getting tons of traffic to use the service. I think that you should put THAT info on your site, and not what's on there. If a site has to have more than 500,000 visitors a month to use your program, that info should be on your site. As it is now, you're misleading people. Nevermind that in order to use your program a site has to be able to hold a ton of traffic, but if the site is already getting a ton of traffic then obviously it can hold that much, so why even have that on your site as a prerequisite?
I understand your business and I appreciate it. You're trying to make money and not help people out. That's not a bad thing. You didn't start this business to help people out, you wanted to make money, and who doesn't? I'm just saying that you should change that info on your site before you start getting really big and you have a ton of emails from people like me that think they can apply for your service. Good luck with your business.
Owned again. Kinda. Anyway, it doesn't change shit, so I guess this was all pointless anyway. But us little guys, we get a moral victory. We've won the day, but we haven't won the war.
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