Jay-Z and Microsoft's Bing use social game to promote autobiography

We've seen rappers use the power of social games before, but this is just nuts (and he won't even have to blow something up). Esteemed rapper, clothing company CEO, record executive and now author Jay-Z is promoting his new autobiographic novel, "Decoded," with... a social game.

The lyricist-turned-businessman-turned-author teamed up with Microsoft's Bing Team and marketing firm Droga5 to make an online scavenger hunt of sorts starting today. The hip-hop maestro has spread 200 pages from his new book across the world from L.A. to London, asking his loyal fans to find them all before "Decoded" hits shelves Nov. 16. The pages will be displayed on everything from billboards to pool tables to the inner lining of designer jackets, according to The New York Times.

Players can discover the pages on their journeys into the real world or do it all from the comfort of their own computer chair using the game's website. All you need to do is register using your Facebook information (you know they had to fit it in there somewhere) and start searching through the website's built-in Bing Maps feature. Of course, you'll be given clues as to where the next page might appear and a proximity meter will help, but the rest is up to you.

Oh yeah, everyone who finds a page will be entered for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas to see Jay-Z perform live with Coldplay on New Year's Eve 2010. Now that is social gaming.

[Via Death and Taxes]
[Image Credit: New York Times]

Will you start the search for Jay-Z's lost pages? What do you think of social gaming used for marketing campaigns like this? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.