Company Description: Playdium is a family entertainment centre located in Mississauga, Ontario. The company opened its doors in 1996 with the aim of becoming a gaming behemoth in Canada. Playdium features indoor and outdoor attractions like go karting, battle cages and mini golf. Playdium is owned by Cineplex Entertainment and their subsidiary Player one Amusement Group. Situation: When Playdium had first opened in September 1996, they had experienced a major volume of sales and visits. Playdium experienced almost 870,000 visitors in 1997 and the visits kept on increasing up until 2008.
When major entertainment companies like Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft started to introduce gaming consoles to the market, the advances in technology led to the decline of sales for Playdium. After 2008, Playdium’s visitor attendance had decreased to about 535,000 visitors. The advancement in video gaming technology such as 3D gaming, augmented reality, advanced motion sensing and access to a vast network of online gamers have made the in-home gaming experience better than ever before. Based on a situational analysis conducted for the 2018 year, the centre is “considering to create a needed promotional plan” to regain its customer base and to gain improve attendance and ticket sales.Main Objective: To create an increase in ticket sales and visitors, ultimately leading to an increase in revenue and to make Playdium a household name in terms of gaming. StrategiesRenovate and rebrand Playdium Increase their social media presenceIntroduce speciality events/promotions Introduce an improved website as well as launch an app for Apple and Android users Schedule of Events: Throughout the 2018 year, Playdium will introduce many events and promotions that will attract customers. These events will be crucial in increasing total visitors, which in turn will lead to higher revenue.
The events will be carried out as follows: The renovation of Playdium, Launching and improving social media accounts, Flashback Arena and Future, and Hosting events.Budget/Return on Investment: For this promotional plan we have a projected budget of $300,000 (USD). Our budget can be split up into 4 different allocations: $150,000 which will go to site renovations and adding new and exciting gaming machines; $100,000 in TV commercials and other forms of advertising; $40,000 to make a professional and well polished app and website, and $10,000 to run our social media accounts. Based on this we project an increase in revenue of 130% as customers, primarily children and teenagers, will come in with their families to try the brand new games. All of these new improvements are projected to increase ticket sales by 65% and make Playdium a go-to place for family fun.II. COMPANY DESCRIPTIONA family entertainment facility, Playdium is Eleven acres of arcade games, go karting, and enjoyment. The facility was launched on September 7, 1996.
Playdium has over 200 attractions that range from some classic video games like pacman to new recent ones like mario. Playdium did have four stores located in areas that were spread around Canada. There is the current location in Mississauga beside Square One, Toronto; which is next to Scotiabank Theatre Toronto, Edmonton; located inside the West Edmonton Mall and Burnaby; inside Metropolis at Metrotown. All these locations excluding the Mississauga one were closed due to the reason of failure to update arcade games and managers stealing the profits. Over the course of 11 years, Playdium was at its peak and the pinnacle of it success until gaming consoles; main competition of Playdium, came out. The Xbox 360, Wii and the PS3 all had hit the market and grabbed attention the attention of the children and teenager demographic.
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Due to the new and improved technology on the market, Playdium is in need for renovations that will keep up with the current demand, and new/classic games that are not available for it’s competition. As on January 18, 2007 Playdium corporation was taken into the hands of Starburst Coin Machines INC. Starburst Coin Machines INC was established in 1975 by Len Keywood, the owner and founder of the corporation. This company is Canada’s largest distributor of coin operated machines and entertainment supplies. It is a small corporation with over 250 employees and has operations through Canada and The United States.Playdium was founded with the intent to bring people together in a fun and technological way. Throughout the years Playdium has been running, people have come for a good time and often left satisfied. However, it is time for a much needed change as the generation evolves and their wants fluctuate.
In order to be successful, our action plan needed to be adjusted. We want Playdium to be successful again, we will achieve this by pulling through with our conducted plan. III.
OBJECTIVESMain ObjectiveIncrease publicity in order to gain more customers and revenueIncrease ticket sales to compensate for the loss of visitor attendanceIncrease by at least 535,000 visitorsIncrease social media presenceOpen up more entertainment facilitiesStart offering more promotions and coupons (Groupon)Renovate and update the facility and include specific areas for specific games like, “Flashback Arena” and “Future” (New and improved games)Flashback Arena; a specific area in the facility where all the classic games will be placed. Aimed for the older demographic we expect this to be a WOW factor for Playdium as adults can flashback to the time when they were kids and playing in the arcade with classic games.Future; another specific area in the facility that will be home to, 3D games, Virtual Reality games and will be a great way for players to reconnect with themselves and experience gaming like they never have before. Here at Playdium it is our goal to ensure a unique experience for each customer. An experience they won’t get anywhere else. IV. SCHEDULE OF EVENTSA – Special EventsClassical Showdown: On the date of March 15th, Playdium will introduce a new and fun way for players to flashback to the golden era of arcade games by competing with each other.
Players will choose from a variety of classical games and try to set the new high score in order for a chance to win the prizes we have set out for them. The first 15 players to beat the set high score in all antique games will get their names put in a draw and have a chance to win the ultimate prize (prizes will fluctuate). The purpose of this event is to achieve our goal of increasing our visitor attendance and to connect our players with each other. We want our younger players to connect with the roots of the video game industry and the older players to connect back with their inner selves. Semi-annual Playdium Outdoor Festival: On the dates of October 1st and July 2nd, Playdium will be introducing a new and different way for players to connect with the arcade games by hosting the Semi-annual Playdium Outdoor Festival. Players are always stuck inside when it comes to playing video games, we decided to challenge that norm and take the games outside. Twice a year, Playdium will organize an outdoor festival for fellow valued customers to enjoy. This festival will include the traditional aspects of any other festival such as dunk tanks, live music, etcetera.
Along with a Playdium twist which involves the use of arcade games. The purpose of this event is to appreciate what mother nature has to offer all while playing the good old arcade games. Here at Playdium we think is it important that customers should challenge the idea of being trapped inside and try something new.Playdium Colour Run: Inspired by the Indian festival of Holi, The Playdium Colour Run Charity will involve the initial fee of $10 per runner. The runners will run a total distance of 10km, while getting their colour on. Bystanders will be throwing non-toxic colour powder at the runners while they make their way to the finish line.
There will be small stands where the runners can purchase Playdium water bottles and t-shirts. The first 5 contenders to cross the finish line will win an all access Playdium card. The purpose of this event is a way to expand our brand and have it appeal to a different type of market. We want people to know that playdium is not only for video games, this event with be a fun and colorful moment that runners will remember for the rest of their lives. This is also a way for Playdium to connect with their players on an emotional level in order to strengthen that bond. B – Advertising Social MediaActivitiesGoalsInstagramPost fun and energetic pictures for customersRepost and follow customer’s posts that use the hashtag #PlayTheGamePost voting polls on Playdium’s story to get the customers opinion on upcoming games and eventsDo giveaways once a monthIncrease amount of followers(Get 15K+ by the end of 2018)Gain attention of a younger demographic.SnapchatCreate a Playdium Snapchat accountUpdate customers frequently to show what new games are in storeSend snapchats back to customers who enjoy PlaydiumDo giveaways once a monthGet 30k followers by the end of 2018.
FacebookUse the #PlayTheGame hashtag to make it on the trending page and gain attention internationallyDo giveaways once a monthReach 12k likes by the end of 2018.TwitterAlso Use the #PlayTheGame hashtag to make it on the trending page and gain attention internationallyRetweet and like customers tweet using the hashtag #PlayTheGameDo giveaways once a monthGet 5k+ retweets by the end of 2018YouTubeCreate a YouTube account with consistent vlog (video logs) by various Playdium members in order to keep fans interested. Do giveaways once a month, in order for participants to be drawn, they must subscribe to the Playdium YouTube channel.Gain 15k subscribers by the end of 2018C – DisplayFlashback Arena presented by World GamesTo flash back to a time where arcades were appreciated and were a place where individuals would come to connect with each other, “Flashback Arena presented by World Games” will be a section where all the classical and antique games will be at the grasp of our customers. This will be a tribute and resurrection to the games that have been forgotten. The World Games has been a supporter of Playdium by providing us with complementary goods and services for years of which will not be forgotten. The Flashback arena will be a place for our customers to get that vintage authentic feel so that the older demographic can enjoy too.
Back in the 1980s when it was the golden age of arcade video games, there was a vast spread of popularity and visitor attendance, in return contributing to the revenue. The U.S alone generated an annual revenue of at least $5 billion (USD); portraying that individuals love and miss the excitement that comes along with playing classical and antique arcade video games.
This excitement will be beneficial to the player and Playdium as it will gain more attention and generate the most revenue.Future presented by World GamesAs technology is rapidly advancing in the new age, it is important for companies like us to keep up with the continuous change of the industry. Since technology has advanced, people can simply turn to their phones for the satisfaction of a new game. Here at Playdium, we have made it our goal to change the experience of game play and make it better than what you could find on a regular phone or gaming console. We will be offering virtual reality games accompanied along with 4-Dimensional game entertainment to enhance the experience of the player. This section will leave the players wanting more.
BillboardsRoads are used on a daily basis to get from point A to point B. This is why it is a necessity for companies to advertise on billboards to gain attention from millions of drivers on a daily basis. Playdium will use this to its advantage and increase their visitor attendance and achieve their main objectives. Playdiums billboards will be placed on major roads and highways like Yonge Street and even the 401. The first few billboard will be made to represent new innovations such as the Flashback arena and the Future arena. The next few will advertise our specialty events; Classical Showdown, Semi-annual Playdium Outdoor Festival, Playdium Colour Run Charity which will be organized by our team members. Being hard to miss, the billboards are a great way to gain attention of millions driving by daily. D – PublicitySocial Media: By improving Playdiums social media appearances, we will be tapping into a broader spectrum of individuals seeking fun and connectivity.
Social media that will be used to publicize Playdium will be Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter. All of these forms of social media have a reach bigger than any other advertisement platform as it is the epitome of this generation. Constantly updating customers of new innovations and upcoming events will bring them to the entertainment facility. By having monthly giveaways, we will be giving back to our customer base which will strengthen the relationship Playdium has with its customers. Word of Mouth: With a remodelized Playdium, we will achieve a new and intriguing atmosphere that will draw customers in. By providing them with exceptional customer service and a video game experience that is out of this world, they will leave the facility amused and satisfied. With this amusement satisfaction, parents and children will recommend that other people come and experience Playdium themselves. This word of mouth that will be going around, will help bring in more customers to Playdium and more smiles.
Radio/Television Advertisements: Millions of people listen to their radios while driving and many watch tv to pass time. By exposing people to our ideas and advances, we give new potential customers the jolt to turn their car around or to get off the couch and head towards their local Playdium. We will seek the most viewed and listened to radio/television stations to assist us in this advertising technique. We will be advertising our promotions, upcoming events and our new renovations. If customers are to come to Playdium with the code revealed in our tv and radio advertisements, they will get a discount off of the original price. This will help draw in more customers as people always look for good discounts.
V. RESPONSIBILITY SHEETDisciplineParticipantsDuties Executive OfficeEllis Jacob President and Chief Executive OfficerDan McGrathChief Operating OfficerIn charge of ensuring all operations are running smoothly.EventsScott HughesVice President, IT Infrastructure and POS Vice President, Event CinemaBrad LadouceurVice President, Event CinemaResponsible for organizing and planning all events.Create eventCreate eventCreate eventDisplay/MerchandiseShelley FeliceVice President, Food Service, MerchandisingPlanning the construction and visual appeal of the area. Managing appeal and giveaway of merchandise.CommunicationsPat MarshallVice President, Communications and Investor RelationsControls teams social status in terms of commercialization and social media appearances. Partnerships(WorldGaming)Wim StocksCEO, WorldGamingNeil DuffyVice President, College Network and Business DevelopmentSupply Playdium with new and antique games.
IV. BUDGETEvent Title Budget Reasoning Classical Showdown $800We have set a budget of $800 for this day because it will be a normal operational day. Our existing machines will be used to play the games and the only difference will be that player’s will compete with each other.
The reason we have set our budget to $800 dollars is for prizes that we will be giving away. Prizes like Game consoles, gift cards and clothing will be raffled away or won by winning games. Playdium color run $800The maraton will be cheap to run because our meetup location will be at our complex in Mississauga and we will have the required rights and licences to operate the marathon. The $800 will go to running the concession stands for food and water as well as having some workers watching over the run. Renovation and Video Games$150,000$75,000 used for renovation around playdium like new carpet around the compex and a new glow in the dark carpet.
Make the washrooms more decorative and set up a new adults lounge for parents to relax. The rest of the $75,000 will be used to purchase old classical game machines as well as games that are 3D, as well as new virtual reality games. With these new addictions and a more modern environment. Playdium will be a place not just for games, it will be a place to relax and have the experience of a lifetime. Families would want to spend more time at our location and the old and new games that we will be adding will appeal to the older generation by our classical games as well as the new generation with virtual reality Advertising $100,000Playdium Advertisements ($1,000 per commercial/3x a day for 3 days a week) for a total of 7 weeks.$5,000 for radio advertisements$20,000 for billboards all around the GTA. The billboards will last for about 5 weeks.
$16,000 for social media advertising (instagram. Twitter, Facebook and Youtube) Advertising is a crucial way to promote a company. We will be spending. We will be spending 33% of our budget on advertising and this in turn will increase our profits and attract new customers. We have projections that our television commercials and our billboards will attract the most customers. Hence us spending the most amount of our advertising money on those two aspects. App development and improving our website. $30,000 to create a brand new app for playdium that will be available for IOS and Android$10,000 to edit and improve our existing website.
Our new app will provide easy access to our customers and be accessible anywhere. Customers will be able to buy tickets and get answers to all of their questions. The website will be more visually appealing and faster to run. Social Media $10,000$10,000 of our budget will go through setting up and running our social media accounts. To make the social media accounts it is free, but we will have a team constantly post and expand our online presence and interact with customers. All this will in turn grow our brand and maximize profit.
Total: 301,600VII. STATEMENT OF BENEFITS TO THE ORGANIZATIONIn result to the implementation of the proposed promotional plan, Playdium will increased their visitor attendance by at least 535,000 visitors for the 2018 year.Remodeling their website to a more modern and easy accessible will increase their web base presence and the colours will attract customers to come visit and give the new Playdium another try. By increasing their social media presence and making sure they post/update frequently about promotions and new games will be another way to attract the customers to visit Playdium and find out more about the promotion or setting a high score on the new games.
Offering coupons will result in people thinking they are saving more, which results in them spending more. Furthermore, with online coupons and family deals, there will be more customer interaction, and this will be a way for the company to give back to the community and build customer loyalty. Resulting in a more online and social media recognition for Playdium and making it a household name and will help us reach our main objective of, “increase publicity in order to gain more customers and revenue”Another reason why the the escalation of the customer base will beneficial to Playdium is that it will increase the ticket sales which intertwine with revenue, ultimately increasing the revenue as well. This will result in the stability of Playdium being more secure and fixed. The new sections like Flashback Arena” and “Future” will appeal to a broader and more diverse demographic which will be a leading factor to the expansion of customer attendance and revenue. Since there is only one location of Playdium people consider it to be a hassle and difficulty reaching the facility.
Since we plan to launch a new facility, it would be more accessible to the population that is far from the Mississauga Playdium which will be another factor that will enlarge the customer attendance and revenue. Playdium has taken it upon themselves to create specialty events in order to draw more people in. This will benefit the company by giving back to the community, strengthening relationships with the customers and introducing the Flashback and Future arenas. It is important to reintroduce old aspects of the gaming industry just as it is important to renovate the games and introduce new ideas. By following up with the said renovations, we will continue to draw customers in to a welcoming environment.
