You can't make a buck yesterday, only today and tomorrow," a successful industry veteran told me recently. He's right, and there are big implications for the whole industry in those words of wisdom.
During their recent operator summit meeting, marketing executives from Incredible Technologies dissected the same concept from a slightly different angle: how do they market their 20-year-old workhorse brand Golden Tee Golf? To use their lingo, how do they make sure Golden Tee remains "meaningful and relevant," especially to younger players?
To draw a contrast, they proposed two different videogame models, both of which are still highly successful after more than decades on the market: Pac-Man and EA Sports Madden Football, the latter a blockbuster home title that got started the same year as coin-op's first Golden Tee.
Pac-Man's popularity continues to draw strength from a combination of strong play dynamics and a retro-chic appeal that reminds us all of good times in the past. The game is well liked by players because it hasn't changed. It's an icon like, say, the Big Mac at McDonald's. We all rest assured knowing that in the midst of constant change, even chaos sometimes, there are a few creature comforts that we can always rely upon.
Madden, on the other hand, has been fueled by a steady stream of changes, updates and upgrades. It's constantly being renewed and refreshed, similar to the history of Golden Tee. It has set many trends in videogames that are now considered set pieces: announcers' voices, edgy sayings, real-life players and online connectivity.
The marketers at I.T. have a deep respect for a popular franchise like Pac-Man, but say they must emulate Madden to keep the flame burning hot. "Golden Tee has to be more like Madden," declared factory marketing manager "Duffer Dan" Schrementi. "If we don't connect with our (younger) players, we will die. Golden Tee has to transcend generations."
For operators of amusement equipment, the choice of paths isn't as clear. I recently heard from an old-school arcade operator who nevertheless is always keeping an eye on the future, Jack Boasberg of New Orleans Novelty. He is remaking his flagship location, The Fun Arcade in Metairie, La.
"When all the pieces fall in place, it will become a retro-boutique arcade, a small, cozy, electronic playground for fast fun that reflects the past and the present," Jack said. "It will be a unique place to play new and classic coin-operated amusement games, a place with personality, history and ongoing game competitions. The outside world can see and experience The Fun Arcade live on the Internet at www.funarcadelive.com. High-tech webcams with real-time video will focus on the players, the games and the monthly game competition."
Boasberg's strategy for the Fun Arcade, which just barely survived Hurricane Katrina, is a mix of Pac-Man and Madden. He wants to trade on a certain nostalgia for the past while giving it a new twist - in other words, keeping it cool for the younger players. Will it work? Only time will tell, but the effort to remain "meaningful and relevant" in a community that has been through a lot of heartache has to be applauded.
For the rest of us in this industry, the answers are no less clear except to remember where we started: life and business are conducted in the present with the results of our efforts paying dividends at some point in the future. You can still get a Big Mac at McDonald's, but there are gourmet salads and wireless Internet access too.
Direct email to RePlay Magazine Editor Steve White.
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