1. Games are fun and accessible

The global gaming market is set to reach $256.97 billion by 2025, and it’s no wonder. We don’t need dedicated gaming machines any more – we can game wherever and whenever we like from our phones and tablets.

Marketing teams across the world – from boutique brands to huge conglomerates – are using them as part of their marketing strategy. By including a digital game at your stand on either a tablet, large touch screen, retro arcade unit or delegates’ own mobile phones, you’ll offer a positive interaction with your brand in a way that is familiar, current and fun.

(Image: 34SP.com WordCamp Conga)

2. You can make it your own

Developing your own branded game used to be reserved for brands with big budgets, but this is no longer the case. While it’s true that commissioning a bespoke game from scratch can run into tens of thousands of pounds (and then some), you could make use of an existing white label game engine.

These tried-and-tested games can be customised to your brand on a much smaller budget than was previously necessary. You could even tailor it to the conference or event itself, applying a conference-led narrative to your game that will resonate even more with players at your stand.

Just imagine using our conga engine (a take on the classic Nokia snake game), where you collect and lead delegates around an exhibition hall in an epic expo conga challenge!

(Image: Our ready-to-go Trade Show Connection Conga game)

3. You can collect data via a competition

Competitions have always been a successful way of driving traffic and capturing details at trade shows. Just think of the classic business card bowl: “Drop yours in for the chance to win an iPad!”

Whilst methods such as these can be effective for collecting data, they lack brand engagement. What’s more, it’s a data-entry headache once the event is over, and it’s difficult to qualify this method as falling under ‘informed consent’ in a post-GDPR world.

Using a game with a competition incentive – whether it’s a cash voucher, a piece of tech, or a chance to win one of your products or brand experiences – will entice people to submit their details to the leaderboard whilst engaging with the brand in a fun way. It’ll keep visitors at your stand for longer and keep your booth busy.

The leaderboard data can then be downloaded into a nice and neat excel sheet ready for exporting into your CMS ahead of your post-show follow-up campaign.

(Image: Our ready-to-go Bug Basher game)

4. Games achieve meaningful and memorable engagement

In the hazy, post-show fog succeeding an event, attendees will have talked to many companies and it can feel like conversations all merge into one.

By providing a fun, positive, and interactive experience from the start (i.e. a branded game and perhaps even a branded arcade cabinet), you’ll make you and your brand memorable and therefore warmer to any follow-up sales. For the best results, make sure your game represents your brand and offers an opportunity to support your campaign message in a way that’s meaningful and coherent.

To learn more, watch the recap of the session by our Head of Marketing, Cari Kirby, when she spoke at the Digital City Expo 2022 in Manchester.

(Image: Domino’s Delivery Dash)

5. You have the opportunity to create a buzz

When you’re in the throes of preparing for an event, it’s all too easy to forget about the promotion side of things. But this is where the opportunity lies to create a buzz about your presence and get visitors along to your stand to play.

Tell people that you’re exhibiting. Tell them which stand you’ll be on. Communicate that you have a fun game to play and that there are great prizes to be won.

Email your own database. Share posts via social channels. Write up an event listing that’ll give visitors all the incentive they need to seek you out during the course of the exhibition.

By creating and sharing your own event-specific hashtag alongside any trade show hashtags, you can create a real-time buzz throughout the show. Many games also have social-sharing functionality built in as standard, making it easy for you and your players to share the game and scores on the leaderboard.