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Blake Johnson shares his take on listening to customers to drive creative, creating unforgettable experiences, and why Skee-Ball is still a classic at Chuck E. Cheese.<\/p>\n
Do you prefer brand awareness or performance? What is your preferred marketing channel? In this series, we get to know past Insider Summit attendees and ask about their preferences.<\/p>\n
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Blake Johnson, Senior Director Arcade Rewards Programs or Instant Prize advertisement<\/p>\n <\/p>\n advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n AI-Powered Optimization or Human Gut Instinct:\u00a0<\/strong>Use both in tandem to make the smartest decisions! AI is just another tool to leverage in your Always-On Campaigns or Tentpole Moments:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>I\u2019m a big Local Community Events or National Marketing Campaigns:\u00a0<\/strong>I think it really depends on the brand ultimately, how many locations, footprints, markets and New Game Innovations or Classic Fan-Favorite Data-First Consumer Insights or Creative Character-Led Marketing or Experience-Led If you\u2019re interested in submitting content for future editions, please reach out to our Managing Editor, Barbie Romero at Barbie@MediaPost.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u2013 Brand Marketing & Creative, CEC Entertainment:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\nRedemption:\u00a0<\/strong>Crane games are <\/span>always<\/span> welcome in my book, but I always bank my tickets for the ultimate prize on that prize wall. That\u2019s what\u2019s
\nso great about Chuck E. Cheese \u2013 you always leave with something in-hand, that\u2019s not always a guarantee with those instant games!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nmarketing toolkit.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nbeliever in growing awareness, via repetition,\u00a0 over time. New campaigns every quarter may make the marketing team feel good and keeps things exciting and fresh (for us!) \u2013 but it\u2019s
\nprobably not enough time for the general consumer to sit with that message for it to have any real sort of impact. Depending on objective and\/or channel- hopping on trends or moments makes total
\nsense, in PR and organic social, for example. For a large-scale national advertising campaign \u2013 more time is always valuable.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nso on \u2013 but there can be room for both in your marketing plan, right? If you\u2019re a small 10\u201320-unit chain, the local approach works to grow awareness and affinity. If you have 500+ –
\nscale always works in your favor.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nGames:\u00a0<\/strong>There\u2019s room for both in this big world! I (and our guests) love innovation in gaming obviously \u2013 but hey, one of our most utilized and popular games at Chuck E.
\nCheese is Skee-Ball \u2013 a true classic.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nStorytelling:\u00a0<\/strong>Part of our big success at Chuck E. Cheese over the last few years has been to start listening (aggressively) to our guests and the consumer at-large and letting that
\ninform our creative approach. I\u2019d say once we moved away from what we \u201cfelt\u201d resonated with our guests and truly listened to what our current guests and consumers wanted and found
\nmost valuable, we began to see some real traction.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nMarketing:\u00a0<\/strong>Chuck E. is beloved and is front and center in our marketing, obviously \u2013 but the experience is what seals the deal. And Chuck E. is part of that
\nexperience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n