BrandGames Develops 'Virtual Cash' Biz Sim For Deloitte

Financial consulting firm Deloitte and Touche has announced it has partnered with BrandGames to develop an online simulation, called The Virtual Team Challenge for High Schools, that lets teens experiment with ethical and financial situations to gain experience with business best practices. According to the announcement, more than 5,500 students from about 100 high schools nationwide are participating in the program, which is running through March 24. The simulation tasks student teams with planning events and raising virtual cash for the United Way, and the winning team makes a real-life donation and gains a grant for their school. Deloitte says it's interested in grooming teen talent pools for the business community, as well as spreading interest about the fields of accounting and business consultancy. BrandGames advised them on making the biz prep programs "more effective and relevant to the 'video game generation.'" Said BrandGames EVP of marketing Jim Wexler, "Deloitte had a vision for this--and we've been helping brands and companies use games as part of both their consumer-facing and internal communications for years, so our toolset was a perfect fit."