PoweRBrands: The Facebook marketing game about marketing

Advergames on Facebook are nothing new -- there are Facebook games marketing everything from cars to the distrubingly wholesome power of milk, and practically everything in between. But so far there hasn't been a Facebook advergame that markets the field of marketing itself. Until now!

PoweRBrands is a creation of Reckitt Benckiser -- the parent company of brands like Clearasil, Lysol and Woolite -- that invites you to "use your innovative sales skills and marketing ideas to outperform your rivals, and work your way up to be President of the company." Along the way, you're told you'll learn to "think and act like an RB person" and "learn something about global FMCG along the way" (that's "fast-moving consumer goods" for those of you who aren't already marketing professionals)

At first glance, PoweRBrands resembles countless other room-decorating Facebook games. Completing tasks from your inbox earns you money to decorate your Spartan office and experience points to move you up the virtual corporate ladder. It's only when you actually try to complete one of those tasks that the proceedings take on a weird, corporate-training-video quality.