As you may know, the Ypulse Mashup in July is offering four, count em', four pre-conference options this year -- all completely different. You heard from Ypulse Books editor Alli, yesterday, about the Ypulse Books pre-conference (btw we just added Wake author Lisa McMann!).

Today, I'm running an interview with John Davison, president of WhatTheyLike.com, and editor of their video game site for parents, WhatTheyPlay.com, about the Casual Gaming For Youth pre-conference...Remember, you can register for just a pre-conference or (better yet) for the entire Mashup.

Ypulse: First tell us the mission and philosophy behind WhatTheyPlay and what drew you to want to work on the site?

John Davison: My business partner and I launched WhatTheyPlay.com to address the needs of parents when it comes to the video games that their kids are asking them about. There are plenty of resources out there for "gamers" that go into a lot of detail about games, but there's very little that speaks to Mom and Dad. Invariably, they're the ones that are paying for this stuff, and they want to know more about what it is that they're letting into their home. We don't judge the products, or make calls about appropriateness for the audience, we describe the content and put the ratings into context so that parents are fully armed with the facts they need to make an informed decision. We're just about the least cool thing imaginable to the average 14 year old, but parents have been extremely supportive.

YP: Why should youth media and marketing professionals care about "casual gaming for youth"?

JD: "Casual gaming" is such a broad term, and it covers so much - but I think the most important thing for marketers to understand is the fact that these products provide an opportunity to really engage consumers with something. Today's kids are far more cynical and savvy about branding and advertising than any generation before them, but they are prepared to spend time with a marketers messaging if the delivery method gives them something enjoyable. Association with the right type of gaming product can completely change kids' perception of a brand, but it opens up many additional challenges. It's not enough to slap some branding on yet another variation of a game they've played a million times. Finding something simple, and unique is key.

YP: What do you hope the big takeaways will be for pre-conference attendees?

JD: First of all, I think we'll all have a better idea of the scope of the casual gaming space. Some people think of it as just the "traditional" stuff like online checkers or a million Tetris variations, but it's so much more than that. There are huge virtual worlds that fall into this space, and there are some extremely engaging experiences that have really passionate and faithful audiences. There's also a lot of content that goes beyond purely "gaming" by providing educational benefits and positive messaging. We'll hear from speakers that deal with challenges in all these areas, and hopefully the audience will have plenty of food for thought about how their brands can be integrated into some new, and completely unexpected environments online.

YP: We know you're excited about ALL of the speakers, but is there a speaker you're personally really looking forward to hearing from (elaborate beyond just the name)?

JD: I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the session on the educational benefits of games, and the ways that "gaming," "education," and "branding" can live together in harmony. Jay Goss from Whyville really opened my eyes when we discussed what they've been doing with their partners.

YP: Finally, is there a specific casual game for youth that intrigues you (it can be out or coming out) - why does it intrigue you?

JD: We're seeing a lot of "casual" experiences that are far more elaborate than I think many people give them credit for, and there are products appearing on systems like the Nintendo Wii and the DS that technically fall into this category while being far more complex than people probably think they are. Electronic Arts' recent partnership with Steven Spielberg for the game Boom Blox is an excellent case in point, and in many ways it best represents one of the directions we're going to see this space move.

More about your host, John Davison:
John brings more than 18 years of experience in the interactive entertainment media industry to his role as president of What They Like, where he manages the daily operation of the company and directs all content generation for the brand and its products. With expertise in every major sector of videogame media, John has contributed to a variety of well respected print and online consumer and trade publications in the United States and Europe. Prior to founding What They Like, he was senior vice president and editorial director of the Ziff Davis Game Group, where he shaped and directed all 1UP Network editorial products, including 1UP.com, MyCheats.com, GameVideos.com, a suite of podcasts, and Games for Windows: The Official Magazine.

Posted by anastasia