Winning Moves – licensed makers of Monopoly in Australia – have been a longstanding Agent99 client.
Game customisation for local cities is the primary way Winning Moves engages with retailers and consumers, and Agent99 was tasked with launching numerous limited-edition board games over the past number of years.
However, in 2020, COVID-19 meant the original marketing strategy of releasing local city-specific editions simply wasn’t feasible due to many restrictions and overall market sentiment. As a trusted partner, Agent99 was asked to co-develop a concept that would consider all market sensitivities, and yet would allow the brand to connect with consumers, retailers and media, driving sales and revenue despite the turbulent times.
To guide the creative process, Agent99 engaged with retailers and consumers to discuss concepts that could resonate nationally. Research indicated consumer scepticism towards overly commercial brand activities and a preference for community contributions, heightened by increased gaming and puzzle activities during COVID-19 lockdowns.
From these insights, Agent99 conceived a ‘community relief board’ game, recommending a donation of $5 from each game and $2 from each puzzle sold to local relief efforts.
Travel restrictions prevented in-person launches, prompting Agent99 to employ creative tactics for engagement. They distributed Mr. Monopoly cutouts to local councils, invited students to design online Monopoly boards, and sent Monopoly car magnets to radio stations for a game-winning street-spot challenge.
Agent99 secured a nationwide family-focused Today Extra TV-exclusive to kick-start the campaign, as well as a national paid partnership with HIT FM network, which guaranteed a strong presence within regional communities.
Agent99’s media release and extensive pitching achieved 400+ pieces of earned media coverage, the largest volume of media for any custom board.
All key retailers from previous launches ordered at least the same level of stock units; with many ordering more. Subsequently, 10+ retailers sold out and purchased more stock to meet demand.
Overall, the campaign raised over $120K for Australian Red Cross, and achieved a reach of over 210M within a month. It also connected with 2.5M consumers from regional communities featured on the board.
The campaign was a huge success and was awarded ‘Best Small Budget Campaign’ at the National CPRA Golden Target Awards.
