Panel: Randy – MGM Grand, Paul Wolff – Greenopolis, Brandon Elliott – Build a Bear
Challenge – how do you effectively communicate and engage customers at right point in time? “Right message, right person, right time” leaves a lot out. It’s starts w/ engagement.
How do you really connect with that customer and create that moment? – moment of Magic
It’s also about integration – both with physical space and all of the other business components. Deliver on the brand promise – no line, no wait (Budget) – they’re using in their TV spots (kiosks)
Randy (MGM) – over in City Center, spent more effort on 9 slot machine toppers than 400 screens.
Everyone is a content critic
Told a story about how an escalator takes 24 seconds – this is important b/c it dictates content and animation.
His vision of the future – smarter content mgt (data + content to the right device)
Very interesting that they create everything in 1280 x 1280 and then they have a hotspot in the center and so they don’t have to resize everything
This dude has a lot to manage – I wouldn’t want his job
Paul (Greenopolis) – in the business of tracking trash
SM angle – corp partners who get involved in site – rewards program – connect people who care about this
People can play with the program wherever they are – mobile, kiosks, computer, etc…
Brandon (Build a Bear) (I will write more about these guys later) – 10th largest toy retailer in the country
Over 1,600 kiosks in all of their stores. The technology – wanted to enable the experience – you don’t go to Build a Bear to sit in front of the kiosk.
Target: Tech savvy 10 year old girl.
His 3 year old knows how to use iPhone.
If you ask a 10-year old girl what she wants for Christmas – 8 of the top 10 is technology based.
Buildabearville.com – 1.5 m avatars created, 1-2 m unique visitors a month, avg 30 min visit – this extends the in-store experience – this is great – there’s a whole story online
POS – receipt code – for every item you buy, every dollar spent in the real world, you get virtual currency
1 of 3 guests visit them online before making a store purchase – nearly 1 in 2 guess in core demo bring their animals to life online
They have lost bears, they open them up and can return to owner
You’re seeing everything interact with each other – seeing points, games, etc…”fun”/personal
NET –
All this comes down to understanding your customer very well before you actually do anything – or as you refine
You need to be able to look at metrics and what comes out of that
QUESTIONS:
Randy (MGM) – Geolocation integration with MGM/Mirage? – they just released 2nd iPhone app..they started pulling data back from that, the thing that intrigues them is the SEARCH feature – look at the phrases, words – craziest search group he’s seen is “darts, donkeys, drugs” – the point is that there are so many things out there that people want and how they search
For Randy (MGM) – development of content, how do you start the process? – has all changed in the last 24 months, there was so much cash flow here that you could do whatever….now it is scrutinized. They now pick their spots, where can they have the most impact with the lowest capital risk?
Paul (Greenopolis) – value prop – what’s the experience? – it is reprocessing material…the kiosks are ergonic billboards. Recycle, reprocess, reward (this is good)