[Redoubtable]

Heh I'm stoked someone called us an API for social games. Usually people call us wildly less accurate things. YAY!

We are technically a suite of tools (which you know depending on your executional ability is an API, or a set of SDKs, or us hand holding you through using them) for brand managers and marketers to build applications and games with their own data. Layer up content + actions and out pops your very own custom THING.

We have found that there is a huge demand for brand creative, as digital marketing requires more marketing, not less, with newer storylines & media format being demanded w/ever more frequent turns.The advertising agencies are struggling to deliver quality, timely results, and brand managers struggle to afford the associated cost of traditional, all original (or custom) marketing.

We believe that if brands could rapidly create compelling new campaign media by leveraging a standing (and hopefully ever improving) body of component elements with their own brand data and concepts this is a powerful

Obviously this approach is well accepted today in software creation and the good news in we have worked with host of brands to try this theory out in practice- aka in client paid efforts. 

Essentially what we're seeing, is if the tools allow quality brand marketing results, that reflect the brand’s story telling objective, then the brand manager is satisfied. 

If the creative cost & delivery are both materially lower, this is a winning path—and the birth of a potentially formidable new cloud based SaaS business

[RyanZAG]

I'm in the industry so I get what you're saying here - but I'm pretty sure most VCs and your customers are going to be mighty confused. You should try and simplify a 'what we do' message that is easier to understand.

The first 30 seconds of introduction to your concept is the most important - make sure people can understand it!

[lancewiggs]

Without looking at the site, here are three potential what we do messages:

"We help businesses make compelling games using their own customer's data"

"We help businesses make personalised games for their customers"

"Personalised games for your customers"

[iosnoob]

I'm also in the industry and I second this.

Speak plain English and explain in a nustshell what you do for whom.

Investors and brands are busy, make it easy for them.

[Redoubtable]

Indeed! We've rarely had a confused customer thankfully.

[balloot]

I read this and still have no clue what this business is. You may want to consider the possibility that Silicon Valley isn't massively broken and you simply don't have a good elevator pitch.

[snowwrestler]

I understood but only because I work very near the world of PR, which is the language in which the parent post was written.

The background is that big companies like Coke or Nike need creative content to post on Facebook and Twitter. They pay PR agencies huge dollars to come up with that content.

My plain English translation would be something like: this company helps PR agencies make custom online games for their clients. The agencies will look good because lots of people will play the games. (Maybe the games also collect consumer preference data--not clear.) Agencies with developers on staff can self-service; agencies without developers can pay extra to get help.

[rdouble]

The text on playapi.com says "PLAYAPI IS A PLATFORM FOR CREATING SOCIAL GAMES AND APPLICATIONS." in a big font.

[Redoubtable]

Indeed it is what says! Which is kind of the lost point I should make in all of this in that we've in the past positioned the company to appeal to certain things we thought the industry would find appealing not necessarily our customers.

Who really don't find us through our website but through word of mouth with ad agencies, brand managers and media partners. But nevertheless we say PLATFORMS! SOCIAL GAMES! SHIT WE THINK WILL PLAY WELL BUT OUR CUSTOMER BASE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT REALLY.

And well I suppose this is all true. But also framing.

[OGinparadise]

Maybe it was decided in Zynga's better days. Now they may want to revisit that, games aren't happening

[gregpilling]

>We are technically a suite of tools (which you know depending on your executional ability is an API, or a set of SDKs, or us hand holding you through using them) for brand managers and marketers to build applications and games with their own data. Layer up content + actions and out pops your very own custom THING.

I have signed up for a demo. Would like the handholding variety please. I have a brand in truck accessories (http://traxda.com) and one in phone cases (http://sascase.com).

[dinkumthinkum]

> Heh I'm stoked someone called us an API for social games. Usually people call us wildly less accurate things. YAY!

You're website says:

"playapi IS A PLATFORM FOR CREATING SOCIAL GAMES"

And your name is "playapi." Sounds pretty accurate given the website. :)

Now as a total outsider to your business or it's history, having never heard of it, if this comment is like your pitch, personally, I think it is a little convoluted. HTH!