- March 24, 2015
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High-Stakes Campaign a Gamble or a Sure Thing?
Most integrated and event marketers watch every promotional penny, toiling and grinding to keep costs low and maximize returns–even on small-scale projects.
That’s why every so often it’s fun to set aside our natural Scrooge-like tendencies and vicariously revel in the big spending of others, like the marketers from International Gaming Technologies (IGT).
The gaming giant rolled the dice on a $3.3 million dollar exhibit, unveiled at the 2013 Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, to showcase 300 of its latest poker, slots, blackjack machines, and its revamped online casino. The exhibit and launch were the culmination of a costly, year-long marketing effort that included a complete rebranding and the introduction of more than 100 new gaming machines.
Campaign Goals
IGT had two main goals for G2E: beat its results from the previous expo (as measured by an in-house, media-driven metric it calls “share of voice”), and convince prospective customers (high-level execs who purchase gaming machines in bulk), that IGT is indeed transforming the gaming entertainment industry.
The first step in IGT’s ambitious goal began with a transformation of another kind: turning nearly 22,000 square feet of the Sands Expo and Convention Center into the mysterious and primal, Pandora, fifth moon of the Jupiter-like planet, Polyphemus.
IGT’s Avatar-Themed Exhibit at a Glance
• 21,600 sq. ft., $3.3 million
• 300 gaming machines, representing 125 themes, including Avatar
• 300-member booth team to assist exhibit visitors
• A 1300 sq. ft. rotating theatrical platform
• Photo booth for pictures with Na’Vi warriors
• DoubleDown Casino with visitor gaming area
Avatar Hits the Strip
Though there were other themed gaming machines on display, the focus of IGT’s multi-million dollar exhibit was its immersive, expansive fantasy world fashioned after, James Cameron’s Avatar, the highest grossing movie of all time. The environment was replete with towering blue Na’Vi warriors, a 12-foot high replica of the Tree of Souls, and other familiar features from the film.
Occupying a mere 34-foot of the massive space was IGT’s centerpiece and main attraction: the DoubleDown casino–destination to which booth visitors were ultimately funneled, There, they viewed high-energy videos of couples having the time of their lives, gaming it up on IGT machines.
A form of what the industry calls “social gaming,” the DoubleDown is like an online casino in which wagers and payouts are done virtually, with electronic, not physical, tender. IGT makes money by not only selling physical machines but also through online gaming, in which players buy virtual “chips” from its many gaming apps. Getting visitors to the DoubleDown display was central to IGT’s strategy of extolling (and cashing in on) the gaming experience.
It’s difficult to concisely describe cinematic mega-production that was IGT’s Avatar-themed exhibit. Best to read Charles Pappas’ lengthy though exquisitely written article in Exhibitor Magazine for all the breathtaking details, including IGT’s strategy and tactics:
Integrated Marketing Mix
- Preshow outreach: email and direct mail campaign to registered attendees, media, investors and financial analysts
- Traditional print ad campaign
- Themed event website
- Social media, including an Expo Facebook page to which photos were uploaded in real time
- A series of in-booth, movie-like videos
- A fast-paced slots competition where every visitor was staked $200,000 in virtual play money
Results
While IGT didn’t publicize specifics of its goals, it did say that the event exceeded all the important ones. It also reported that more than 25,000 people visited the exhibit–indicating that many of the 16,000 audited attendees came back multiple time (arguably a good sign). According to the Exhibitor Magazine article, IGT also said that its share-of-voice, their homegrown calculation of media hits, was up 27% over the previous year’s expo.
From an integrated marketer’s perspective, the event was truly spectacular, and despite its scale, offers a few ideas your small business can use:
Event Marketing Takeaways for SMBs
- Think it Through: Help your team select an engaging, relevant theme, develop a strategy based on real business goals, and choose the appropriate tactical mix to properly execute the strategy.
- Make it Memorable: Regardless of your budget size, focus on creating an impactful and unforgettable visitor experience. Your competition probably isn’t doing it, so you have an opportunity.
- Deliver with a Flourish: Good preparation almost always produces good results. So do some role playing to perfect your core messaging and delivery. Then, come show time, go out there and have some fun. You’ll perform your best when you’ve nailed the prep.
Source: Exhibitor Magazine Article–IGT and DoubleDown Casino
