At some point late last year I posted the following status update on Facebook: “I don’t play Mafia Wars. Please stop asking.” Back then Mafia Wars was all I saw…everywhere. Everyone was playing it (and obviously enjoying it) – clearly it was a hit.
Fast- (or slow?) forward to May 24 and the following hits the newswires:
7-ELEVEN® AND ZYNGA® OFFER EXCLUSIVE FARMVILLE, MAFIA WARS AND YOVILLE PRODUCTS IN-STORE AND VIRTUAL
More information on 7-11’s cross promotion with Zynga games can be found here http://www.7-eleven.com/Category.aspx?CategoryId=2003000 but generally it involves incentives for game-players and 7-11 products that are synergistic with the games and more.
I have to admit: I was a little surprised by the announcement because it’s been ages since I saw anyone I know on Facebook playing Mafia Wars or Farmville. I mean… isn’t it so last year? OK: I’ve never played the game, so I haven’t a clue why they’re so appealing.
But I get the strategy. In fact, I’ve respected 7-11 and the vision of its marketing team ever since they launched their promotion surrounding the Simpsons Movie (see what AdAge had to say here: http://adage.com/adreview/post?article_id=119062). I think 7-11 has done some interesting things of late to refresh its brand, and taking “online” / social media hits into their stores makes sense. I like it and I’d like to see them push it harder.
Because something bugs me about the promotion: the fact that it took so long to get it to market.
Before I continue, I should clarify that I know what it takes to get an in-store promotion rolled out to thousands and thousands of stores. As the director of marketing, creative services and corporate communications at The Gymboree Corporation, I was responsible for rolling out in-store promotions, signage and packaging to (at the time) 500-plus stores. And we planned out said programs at least six months in advance…out of logistical necessity. Now I can only imagine what it’s like to get that done at a chain as massive as 7-11, which is 6,000 stores strong in the U.S. alone. Just the thought of the logistics involved makes my head ache.
Product development is one piece. But then there’s the design, production and delivery of printed materials to thousands of stores. Point-of-sale machines have to be programmed. Front-line, home-office and customer service staff need to be trained on the promotion…and so much more. Never mind that – before anything can go forward – the ideas have to be developed – and approved – by two sets of management and two legal departments.
So my question is this: how can the online/social media and retail worlds co-exist and – more importantly – benefit from each other when their models are so different?
Can you imagine how powerful the 7-11/Zynga partnership would have been…oh…six months ago? Yes, social media is an “act now” environment. And while retailers are by their sheer nature accustomed to reacting – now – to the ring (or lack of ring) at the cash register with sales and promotions, they can often be slow out of the gate with opportunistic brand-building activities. Sheer logistics make this difficult. But to be truly connected – especially to younger audiences – retailers need to be willing to take some risks and get involved – early on – with online brands and assets that are unproven…but that can be potentially powerful connectors to their most important customers.
On the flip-side, the online world can reap huge rewards from going out – again, early on – to retailers to develop partnerships that will help to quickly build their brands. I realize that the online world is massive – and some people believe that it doesn’t need the “offline” world. And while I’m a social media junkie, I disagree with that belief vehemently for a variety of reasons. But I’ll leave it with this: a retail partnership can go a long way to help online brands and assets build a relationship with those who are less technology savvy – many of them still skeptical of the safety of social media. A relationship with a beloved retailer can help online brands build legitimacy and a following very quickly.
The key ingredients: Vision. Risk. Tenacity.
Can the retail world and the online world come to terms with each other’s needs and limitations and create powerful relationships? I think so. What do you think?
