Lady Gaga is a pop sensation, and her army of “little monsters” is proof of that. Whether or not you like her music, there’s no debating that she’s got a unique way of selling herself as a brand. The latest stunt, meant to promote the May 23 release of her new album “Born This Way,” is wrapped up in a partnership with social gaming giant Zynga, the creator of FarmVille..
The Facebook and iOS farming simulator is actually central to the promotion, with the May 17 launch of the Gaga-themed farm GagaVille, which will feature “unicorns and crystals,” a press release reveals. In the realm of more useful things, fans will also be able to have a first crack at some of the upcoming album’s unreleased songs.
“I want to celebrate and share ‘Born This Way’ with my little monsters in a special way that’s never been done before,” Gaga said in a statement. “Zynga has created a magical place in FarmVille where my fans can come play, and be the first to listen to the album.”
The partnership extends beyond the borders of the pop star’s virtual farm as well. Her album will be bundled up as a download with the purchase of a special $25 Zynga gift card from Best Buy. A Words With Gaga promotion will also be tied to the game developer’s popular Scrabble-alike, Words With Friends, offering fans the chance to win prizes (U.S. residents only) in a contest connected to a daily word of the day reveal. Zynga will also make Lady Gaga-themed virtual items available at RewardVille.com, where players will be able to exchange zCoins for items in 10 of the developer’s games: CityVille, FrontierVille, FarmVille, Mafia Wars, Zynga Poker, Café World, Treasure Isle, YoVille, PetVille, and Vampire Wars.
This isn’t Gaga’s first dance with Zynga. The two teamed up this past March to raise money for support efforts in Japan. Gaga donated $750,000 to the company’s fundraising initiative, which eventually came to total more than $3 million in charitable contributions.
