LTTO: Musings
Answers to a question posed on the LTTO group...
> A question though. What do you think should be the best way
> to get noticed?
> Should it be the TV ads? Packaging? When are where should be
> the ads? It is a toy but for what age?
Random thoughts, no particular order, and I apologize this got so long.
PC games and console titles have numerous trade magazines out there that run full feature articles about cool stuff that's in production or coming down the pike. There's massive buzz well before release date. Preorders are accepted at the major distributors (GameStop, Electronics Boutique, etc). Everyone gets stock on the release day and there are websites and fansites dedicated to the game soon after.
** LazerTag has some of these elements, but not all.
www.LazerTag.com
No website, no biscuit. A website in this day and age is the primary means to allow people to discover the product and its specifications. Without one, everyone assumes the line is dead. And careful on the flashy no-substance stuff. Games, bells and whistles are great, but within 3 clicks, a visitor should be able to discover price, places to purchase and specifications. Everything else is gravy.
Naming of the product
Those in the know: Phoenix LTX
Target.com: Lazer Tag Multiplayer Battle System
Amazon.com: Lazer Tag 2-in-1 System (forget the link)
If I don't know what it's called, how can I hope to find it to buy it? (See next comment)
Finding the Product:
Currently, the search engines on amazon.com and target.com seem to be able to find the product. Part of this may be inconsistent naming. Part of it may be that they're not posting it until they get it in -- but with a three week lead time (if the Target link is to be believed), it's getting to the wire. That, and we (in the know) have gotten links and preorders from the Target Link. Begs the question why the public can't find it.
Information
A lot of this leads up to the disemination of information. If I'm to understand correctly, there's been a growing buzz starting about Jan/Feb of 2008 that *something* new was coming, with a big reveal at Tagfest 3 weeks ago. That's *GREAT* for clubs and current fans, but if you were to ask random parent in the toy aisle about LazerTag, they'd probably either ask if you mean the toys from a few years ago -- or would wonder if you mean the old black and beep models.
Most parents won't do the research. (See also: website) I know that if I hadn't stumbled onto my old sets while cleaning out the house that I wouldn't have known this was coming. Now I'm excited again, but the general public? No news is bad news.
The touring truck
When Lego launched their revamp of the robotic Legos (the NXT brick), they had a tractor trailer that toured the country. It showed off the (then 'soon to come out') NXT brick, along with lots of other fun LEGO stuff. Lazertag could easily take a page from that book and do a tour, setting up courses to play through (tagging targets along the way) or organizing matches. That leads to...
League Play
Magic the Gathering was a new game over a decade ago. It has survived that entire time because the game company actively supports the product. One of the support mechanisms is sanctioned league play that culminates in national championships.
Many of the WoW commercials showed cool arenas and implied organized team play - but if that's only flash in an advertisement, the toy quickly becomes something that sits on the shelf. Even the cartoon had LazerTag ARENAS that the played in.
League play would require coordination with national retailers, who probably aren't in as good a position as a local card/board/rpg gaming store for the M:tG analogy, but could still provide support. If baseball, football, soccer and a card game can have organized leagues, why not LT?
Last one, and I trimmed it down to 5 words.
Walmart. Good idea? Enough said.
> A question though. What do you think should be the best way
> to get noticed?
> Should it be the TV ads? Packaging? When are where should be
> the ads? It is a toy but for what age?
Random thoughts, no particular order, and I apologize this got so long.
PC games and console titles have numerous trade magazines out there that run full feature articles about cool stuff that's in production or coming down the pike. There's massive buzz well before release date. Preorders are accepted at the major distributors (GameStop, Electronics Boutique, etc). Everyone gets stock on the release day and there are websites and fansites dedicated to the game soon after.
** LazerTag has some of these elements, but not all.
www.LazerTag.com
No website, no biscuit. A website in this day and age is the primary means to allow people to discover the product and its specifications. Without one, everyone assumes the line is dead. And careful on the flashy no-substance stuff. Games, bells and whistles are great, but within 3 clicks, a visitor should be able to discover price, places to purchase and specifications. Everything else is gravy.
Naming of the product
Those in the know: Phoenix LTX
Target.com: Lazer Tag Multiplayer Battle System
Amazon.com: Lazer Tag 2-in-1 System (forget the link)
If I don't know what it's called, how can I hope to find it to buy it? (See next comment)
Finding the Product:
Currently, the search engines on amazon.com and target.com seem to be able to find the product. Part of this may be inconsistent naming. Part of it may be that they're not posting it until they get it in -- but with a three week lead time (if the Target link is to be believed), it's getting to the wire. That, and we (in the know) have gotten links and preorders from the Target Link. Begs the question why the public can't find it.
Information
A lot of this leads up to the disemination of information. If I'm to understand correctly, there's been a growing buzz starting about Jan/Feb of 2008 that *something* new was coming, with a big reveal at Tagfest 3 weeks ago. That's *GREAT* for clubs and current fans, but if you were to ask random parent in the toy aisle about LazerTag, they'd probably either ask if you mean the toys from a few years ago -- or would wonder if you mean the old black and beep models.
Most parents won't do the research. (See also: website) I know that if I hadn't stumbled onto my old sets while cleaning out the house that I wouldn't have known this was coming. Now I'm excited again, but the general public? No news is bad news.
The touring truck
When Lego launched their revamp of the robotic Legos (the NXT brick), they had a tractor trailer that toured the country. It showed off the (then 'soon to come out') NXT brick, along with lots of other fun LEGO stuff. Lazertag could easily take a page from that book and do a tour, setting up courses to play through (tagging targets along the way) or organizing matches. That leads to...
League Play
Magic the Gathering was a new game over a decade ago. It has survived that entire time because the game company actively supports the product. One of the support mechanisms is sanctioned league play that culminates in national championships.
Many of the WoW commercials showed cool arenas and implied organized team play - but if that's only flash in an advertisement, the toy quickly becomes something that sits on the shelf. Even the cartoon had LazerTag ARENAS that the played in.
League play would require coordination with national retailers, who probably aren't in as good a position as a local card/board/rpg gaming store for the M:tG analogy, but could still provide support. If baseball, football, soccer and a card game can have organized leagues, why not LT?
Last one, and I trimmed it down to 5 words.
Walmart. Good idea? Enough said.