[Deptheads] Re: Computer Room Tourneys

Thu Feb 7 22:30:39 PST 2008

If you truly want to tap the family market, you need a fully funded kids room with babysitting / kids play volunteers.   Kubla has this and its a huge resource drain, but they are betting on the long term idea of a family oriented convention.  

  An enhanced video game room is a double-edged situation.   While should bring the attention of the younger audience, you run the distinct risk of such an area becoming a "kids' area" when the convention is not set up with personnel to deal with such an area.   

  The security issues alone are quite daunting as are equipment liabilities.   One time a kid goes missing due to completely innocent wandering and you can bet the crap will hit the fan at high speed.   While this may not have been an issue when only a handful of kids are present, try to juggle this problem with five times the number of young children.  Also, is ANYONE on our staff trained and licensed to monitor children in a commercial space? 

  Also, I do not believe we have to aim that young at all.  The high school / college crowd / young adult market is very good and the older / returning gamer is another choice target.   If the convention wants to focus on family entertainment that is quite possible  BUT there would need to be significant changes to make that happen. 

  To make that happen, the convention would need a much more mundane family game track.  Stuff that people recognize.   I don't mean members of BBG.   I mean people who shop at ToysRus and never heard of Catan.  I am taking Chutes & Ladders and games where families can play as a whole with other families.   You would have to Disneyesque things to a great degree.   There would have to be MUCH more focus aimed at entertaining the 6-10 year old and their parents at the same event.  

  If you look at family marketing, you will see that the family focused event marketing has a major keystone - they market the idea that only people there are other families.  Families view this as an important factor in the assumption of fun and safety.   Go view advertisements for zoos, Legoland, Whatever on Ice and other family focused events.  They do NOT include single males in their marketing.   In fact, these people do not exist in Family Marketing World.   Last time I checked, males attending without kids is our main demographic. 

  Otherwise, just saying "sure, bring your kids" is not enough to draw anyone.  Currently, there is NO reason to bring your family to the convention if you have 6-11 year old children.   We have ZERO focus on their needs and we do NOT have a child secure atmosphere. 

  - Robert

Patrick Havert <patrickhavert at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
      Robert,

  As head of marketing do you think Teen parents may look at the website?  Come on and grow up, unless we do something that younger kids can attend they have no reason to go to the con and neither do their families.  If we eliminate that group for a few years, do you think they'll really come back?  The con is getting older, and we need it to get younger or our con is dying a slow death.  
  I admit that teens are better, but we want people to be able to bring their families, if we don't let's just put up signs on the website that say 12+ years old only so we can eliminate any family groups with younger kids.

  If you can explain why lounge is better than Zone for teens, I'd love to hear it.  You seem pretty jaded for someone trying to get people to attend the con, maybe we should call it one of your names to really lower expectations.

  -Patrick

    ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Robert Lionheart 
  To: deptheads at strategicon.net 
  Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 5:14 PM
  Subject: Re: [Deptheads] Re: Computer Room Tourneys

  Oh gods Patrick, are we doing it "for the children"?  

  That's it!  We're going with Video Game Bordello!  Halo Orgy starts at noon!

  I like the non-family connotation of Lounge because we do not want the Video Game Space become the Babysitter Zone.   We do not want parents using the con as a dump zone for their rugrats.   I am quite sure Janice isn't signing up for Strategicon Day Care, aka Dungeons & Diapers. 

  We want teens, not kids, as attendees.  Kids are walking liabilities.  Teens are walking wallets and awesome impule buyers for the dealer's room.  Kids are a resource drain while Teens are networking gold.   The 12+ crowd is far far far more desirable than the 6-11 range. 

  - Robert

Patrick Havert <patrickhavert at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
    DIV {   MARGIN: 0px  }        I agree with Janice in that Lounge has a kind of non-family connotation associated with it, that we do not want to foster.

  How about Video Game Zone, Video Games Live, or Interactive Gaming?

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