Question

Topic: Strategy

Family Entertainment Center Pre-opening Marketing

Posted by shaun_dubai on 8/22/2014 at 4:25 AM ET 250 Points
I am opening a Family Entertainment Center (FEC) in the Middle East in April 2015. It is 10min drive from the 2nd biggest mall in the world and in the heart of the city which should appeal to both residents and tourists.
I need a marketing time line for the FEC.
On the ground floor of the FEC is name brand gaming which will appeal to kids and adult gamers alike. There are 14 different activities on the ground floor which range from shooting zombies to a high-rise obstacle course.
On the 1st floor I have online gaming stations that appeal to the local community. We will also have billiards tables (pool tables), karaoke rooms, retro arcade (no alcohol allowed) and 3 event rooms.
I would like to know my marketing/PR/social media guidelines and milestones leading up to April 2015. What should I focus on and how?
We currently have a Marketing Director that is focused on several projects and not just mine. I will hire my Marketing Manager in October. I would like to know some milestones so as to not walk into meetings clueless.
Unfortunately since I work for a corporation, I cannot volunteer any more information. I am hoping this community can assist to give me some general guidelines.

Thanks in advance.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 8/22/2014 at 2:33 PM Accepted
    Ask your marketing director for the timelines, or your Marketing VP. With the scope of this project, it's likely that there's a full marketing launch strategy document, complete with metrics and relevant KPIs. Learn what the thinking that went into this decision. What are the needs of your company's leadership? How will they define success for this project?
  • Posted on 8/31/2014 at 4:31 PM Accepted
    Clearly you need to start with the objectives and success metrics and work backward in time. You want to build awareness just before and after the launch date -- before for locals, and after for tourists (and ongoing for locals). The media will probably be different for each.

    For locals, you will want to use local media in the area -- television, print, digital, perhaps radio and/or outdoor -- and you will want to allow at least 3-4 months for development of creative, plus another month to select an agency, if you don't already have one.

    For tourists, you will probably need to contact local hotels and make sure they have the information (and brochures) they will need. Face-to-face meetings with hotel management are probably best for this, with complimentary pre-launch visits for the staff, and group information sessions (for the staff of each hotel). These will necessarily be in the month or two prior to launch, with preparation in advance of that. Again, you may need to select an agency for the brochures a month or two before you expect the creative output.

    I hope this helps.
  • Posted by Aaira on 9/1/2014 at 1:09 AM Accepted
    Not much to add in addition to the comments. Except:

    1. For the Residents: I would suggest to target the schools with promotions. They would be your best bet. For the FEC, they are the target market and would be available at the lowest ROI.

    2. For Tourists: Cross Promotions with Hotels/Airlines/travel/Tourism board will do wonders. They are always on the lookout.

    Suggest using Guerrilla strategies despite the seemingly large budget available..
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