GameTime was an arcade chain with a location in Tampa that was underperforming due to lack of local awareness. The manager challenged the marketing team to more than double visits within two months using a one-day promotion. They created a strategy offering free video game play for one day using various promotional methods. On the day of the promotion, there was a line of 100 people waiting to enter an hour before opening, food and drink sales set a new single-day record, and attendance and engagement metrics significantly increased afterwards, helping drive the best performing quarters of the following years.

1. Quick & Effective
Marketing Campaign
Case Study by Dan Christensen

2. Once upon a time...

3. I worked here:
GameTime is a chain of arcades, bars and restaurants, located across Florida.
www.GameTimePlayers.com

4. Arcade games are the primary source of profit.

5. Food and drink sales come in second and third, respectively.

6. GameTime has a location in Ybor City (near Tampa, FL).

7. Background

8. GameTime - Tampa was underperforming.
Profits were low, due to lack of local awareness.
Simply put,
customers didn’t know GameTime existed in Tampa.

9. One day
my boss calls me into his office….
It went a little something like this...

10. Boss: Dan, we have a problem.
People aren’t visiting GameTime
Tampa. We need to fix this.
Me: Agreed. I have some ideas, but
did you have something specific in
mind?
Boss: Yes. We need to raise
awareness in the area; let people
know GameTime exists. Let’s
promote a one-day offer. I want it
to more than double visits.
Me: I’m on it, sir. Can I pull a couple
people off their current projects to
help me with this?
Boss: No. I need you to handle
this independently. Whatever
needs to get done, I need you to
manage it. You have two months.
Me: No problem, sir. Let me get
started.

11. Expectations

12. One day promotion.
100% increase in visits.
60 days to execute.

13. Research

14. What is the most powerful word in the
English language?

15. According to a study conducted by Dan Ariely,
which was featured in his book
Predictably Irrational:
“Everybody loves free.”

16. When asked to pick between 2 pieces of chocolate, based on price -
a Hershey’s Kiss (“cheap”) and a Lindt Truffle (“fancy”) -
test subjects had the following results:
Cost to Acquire
Selection % by Subjects

17. Strategy
Offer free video game play,
for one day only.

18. Timing
This day of free video game play will take place on the
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013.
Also known as Small Business Saturday.
One day after Black Friday.
Two days after Thanksgiving.

19. Positioning
Thanksgiving is about giving thanks.
Black Friday is about spending money.
GameTime will give thanks to customers,
and not ask them to spend any money.

20. Promotion
GameTime Gives Thanks

21. Plan
Build awareness for this one-day event by reaching as many people as possible.

22. Execution

23. Social Media

24. Direct Mailer

25. Press Release

26. Email

27. In-Store Collateral

28. Street Team
Handing out Flyers

29. Results

30. On November 30, 2013, GameTime - Tampa acquired the highest number of in-store
visits in its history.
There was a line of 100 people waiting to enter, one hour before doors opened.
Food and drink sales on that day were the single highest total for the year.
GameTime - Tampa’s Facebook page grew by 25% in the quarter following the event.
Email/Newsletter sign ups increased by 10% in one day.
Party bookings matched, in 1 day, what on average took 1 month to acquire.
The 2013 fourth quarter, and 2014 first quarter, were both the best performing quarters
of their respective years; in terms of overall attendance and total game play.