Real Art Design Group has found a new and innovative way to gain attention in cyberspace.  The Dayton, Ohio-based organization has created an internet-controlled web game called The Santa Claw.  An intro to the site asks visitors, "So what does Santa do with all the gifts nobody wanted?" The site's answer is "Nothing, until now."

The free game allows players to access a giant claw remotely using either their arrow keys or mouse to try and grab gifts from their computer.  Two cameras are provided to help users determine their strategy and position before they click the grab button in the remote-controlled game.  If players nab a prize, they receive their bounty by mail.

The most available prize is a large, brightly-colored ball, but some of the prizes offered include zebra-striped Snuggies, fruitcakes, horror film model kits and chattering teeth, the complete Dokken collection on vinyl, Alien Workshop skateboards, leather chaps and even Old English cologne.

Since its launch last week, the game has become very popular worldwide. Users can expect to find up to 500 players ahead of them at any given moment and on its first day there were an estimated 20,000 unique visits with players waiting for as many as eight hours to try their hand at the game.

"It’s been both fun and grueling," says creative director Chris Wire, one of the staffers who shows up in the middle of the night to make sure everything is running properly and to restock the big balls, according to the Dayton Daily News.

University of Dayton marketing lecturer Irene Dickey said Real Art Design is on the right track. She believes that media technologies are playing a huge role in “globalizing” society, allowing businesses to connect with people all over the world and making time and distance irrelevant.

"In addition, the Internet connects people with other people who are all spreading the word. This is viral marketing and its very fast and can be very effective for organizations," she said. "The claw game is triggering conversations in many different spaces all over the Internet."

Players can sign in via e-mail, Facebook or Twitter and people from all over the world as far as Africa, France, Russia and Australia are playing the game.