• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, July 27, 2012

WPP’s Ogilvy & Mather is partnering with Chinese Internet company Sina to produce a London Olympics-related online sports game. It’s said to be the first online game in China that integrates marketing with a social-gaming component.

The game was jointly developed by Sina and O&M’s in-house production and design unit, RedWorks Beijing.

The game, which is played via Sina’s social network Weibo, allows players to earn virtual gold coins which they can “deposit” with one of the game’s sponsors, China Merchants Bank. The coins also enable players to compete for real prizes that include a range of consumer electronics.

The game adds Olympic sports events that are popular in China, including Ping Pong, badminton and gymnastics.

“We’ve been thinking for a long time about how to leverage our platform to create more effective marketing campaigns that go beyond microfilms, online raffles and posts that direct users to brand Web sites,” stated GE Jingdong, marketing general manager at Sina. “This game by RedWorks not only creates an expansive online community, but is also highly engaging and allows users to experience Weibo organically.”

Lyon Zhang, digital director of RedWorks Beijing, stated that the game allows brands to “engage with their online audiences in a new way.”

The so-called “Weibo Sports Game” will be actively promoted on the social network throughout the London Olympics, starting today. It will remain live on the site for an unspecified period of time.