WHY IS BOARD GAME ARENA BECOMING PAY TO PLAY

[Strode]

BGA exists because it has players. Even free players give people to play with. Encouraging them to play more games is a method that can add investments for players, as they try out more games and find more things that can tie them to BGA. And once they get premium, they may even choose to keep it without having to win 20 new games per month.

This reminds me of the people who say that ads make companies money. Same sort of logic. This isn’t based on anything concrete. If I were a company owner I’d never base myself on things like that.

You not wanting to base your hypothetical company on this isn't a very compelling case. Advertisements are being paid for, in large quantities by many people for quite some time, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's because they seem to work. I have a loose idea why that might be, but it's not my wheelhouse, so I'm just going to defer to the experience of the people that are putting their money where their mouths are that they are paying for this.

And these people do research on ad buys. E.g., We'll run these new ads in market X only. If sales go up in market X but not elsewhere, it strongly suggests the ads are working. They also do surveys to track interim steps, like brand awareness, brand imagery, etc.

Advertising campaigns don't invariably work, of course, but many of them do.

[nik592]

1) Showing ads on TV (or wherever) to increase sales,

I'm less clear on number 1. Do people really go out and buy things because of ads? I am hard-pressed to think of more than a couple instances in the last few years when I did this. Maybe it happens subconsciously without my realizing it.

Ads breed familiarity. Yes, people probably very rarely decide to go and buy a product strictly because of an ad. But when you start thinking of buying a new whatever, you remember brands you've seen advertised. All things being equal, a brand you've heard of before "feels" more trustworthy than one you hadn't (that's assuming all things being equal, and there are reasons why people may choose a brand they haven't heard of, which are also considered in marketing a product).

Of course, it depends what you're advertising. I mean, I get ads for various theatre shows I want to see, and those ads absolutely influence my decision to see them because they tell me it's happening. But there is also a degree of my knowing what they're offering and knowing I would want it before I even see the ad - the ad is just telling me about availability. Then there are some niche products that I didn't know existed until I saw the ad. In those cases, I normally research what else is available, and whether the product being advertised is the best version of the thing I'm now interested in (and to be honest, it usually isn't), but those ads are driving my purchase. Of course, given that if I buy, I often end up buying another brand of the same thing, you probably could argue that those ads aren't really doing what the company who paid for them intended, but still.

[FrankJones]

True enough. I recently bought a bug/insect trapper mainly because of an ad on TV with a catchy song used in the ad. (I first checked the product reviews, of course).

TV shows and movies I might not know about? Sure, those can help lead me to watch the shows.

But, soda ads? Beer? McDonalds? Bourbon? Candy bars? Pizza?

These ads have zero chance of ever influencing me to buy anything. If I happen to drink a soda - it has been years since I have - it would be some weird occasion where I see a highly unusual and tasty looking soda in some random shop somewhere. I mean, who buys or switches soda based on ads? And yet, these are some of the biggest spenders during the super bowl.

Beer ads. WTF. I don't care how cool the ads are, I'm not drinking their terrible-tasting beer. If I get beer, there's one kind I get; same one for 15+ years. Though, I really cannot recall whether it was because of a TV ad that this beer became my beer of choice. (It's not a high-selling or highly advertised beer).

McDonalds??? They advertise constantly. I wouldn't eat there if it were free. Everyone knows about McDonalds. What do their ads accomplish?

Candy bars??? I'm never buying a Snickers bar, even though I like Snickers bars. If I spend money on junk food, I'm getting one of my favorite cookies (I don't think either of my favorite cookie places advertises on TV), or a Krispy Kreme donut or something like that, not a run-of-the-mill candy bar. And I don't think I've ever seen a Krispy Kreme donut advertisement either. Didn't need to, all I needed to do was eat one and I knew I would never set foot in a dunkin' donuts ever again. Or Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream. Their ice cream is a delectable treat. I don't think I've seen any ads by them either.

The places I buy pizza from do not advertise on TV. No amount of advertising will change the fact that these famous pizza chains have lousy pizza.

When the product is delicious, advertising is not necessary. When the product is not delicious, no amount of advertising will change that.

So, yeah, I'm really puzzled about a lot of the incessant advertising for established products. I don't see the point.

[nik592]

When the product is delicious, advertising is not necessary. When the product is not delicious, no amount of advertising will change that.

So, yeah, I'm really puzzled about a lot of the incessant advertising for established products. I don't see the point.

Yeah, pretty fair. We also don't buy our pizza from a big chain most of the time. When we do, it's often for a group of kids (eg. after a birthday party/etc.) who want limited flavours and going to the gourmet place wouldn't be worthwhile. So in that case, it might be worth being front of mind over their competitor since I really don't see much difference between the two biggest ones, as you say.

McDonalds used to work on me somewhat as a kid/teen when it was still new and novel, and still does with my kids (when they see McDonalds ads, which is pretty rare). A lot of those products used to influence me more as a kid. Not sure if that's still the strategy? And there are some other fast food chains that I don't mind on occasion, and I've probably been mildly influenced by an ad. I've been influenced by an ad to try new flavours of products I like, or because they're running a promotion that I think is worthwhile. But there's a lot that passes me by with zero impact, sure. I assume I'm just not the target audience for that. As someone else said, big companies (and probably smaller ones) do analyse the effects of their ad campaigns, and must think it's worthwhile to spend money on.

Not being American, I don't watch the Superbowl. Although I think advertising on there is often a case of creating some kind of ad that's so cool and interesting that people talk about it (and maybe some people are persuaded to try that brand due to the hype around it).

[tbhp]

BGA exists because it has players. Even free players give people to play with. Encouraging them to play more games is a method that can add investments for players, as they try out more games and find more things that can tie them to BGA. And once they get premium, they may even choose to keep it without having to win 20 new games per month.

This reminds me of the people who say that ads make companies money. Same sort of logic. This isn’t based on anything concrete. If I were a company owner I’d never base myself on things like that.

advertising doesnt make money?

wow.

I don’t believe in ads, sorry. I think the world would be much better without them.

[Ceaseless]

This reminds me of the people who say that ads make companies money. Same sort of logic. This isn’t based on anything concrete. If I were a company owner I’d never base myself on things like that.

advertising doesnt make money?

wow.

I don’t believe in ads, sorry. I think the world would be much better without them.

Why would that matter? You're the one to bring up ads and companies making money, whether or not you like ads has nothing to do with that.

[Strode]

Beer ads. WTF. I don't care how cool the ads are, I'm not drinking their terrible-tasting beer.
...
No amount of advertising will change the fact that these famous pizza chains have lousy pizza.

Yet these crummy tasting beers and lousy pizza sell millions of 6-packs and pies, evidence that advertising works.

When the product is delicious, advertising is not necessary. When the product is not delicious, no amount of advertising will change that. .

It lets people know your delicious product exists. Bringing it 'top of mind' when it's time to make a decision.

And this doesn't even get into how people buy products for status or to express their personalities. Silly, perhaps, but people do that. Why do you think people by brand-name products when identical generics are available? Advertising creates that world.

So, yeah, I'm really puzzled about a lot of the incessant advertising for established products. I don't see the point.

Even if you're correct that *you* aren't affected by ads, you're not the only person in the world.

As far as being "puzzled" by this.... it's been studied by academics as well as those in the industry. Have you read up on it, or are you just assuming your personal anecdotes and gut feelings are all there is to know? And that you're smarter than all those executives at very successful companies?

[FrankJones]

McDonalds used to work on me somewhat as a kid/teen when it was still new and novel, and still does with my kids (when they see McDonalds ads, which is pretty rare). A lot of those products used to influence me more as a kid. Not sure if that's still the strategy? And there are some other fast food chains that I don't mind on occasion, and I've probably been mildly influenced by an ad. I've been influenced by an ad to try new flavours of products I like, or because they're running a promotion that I think is worthwhile. But there's a lot that passes me by with zero impact, sure. I assume I'm just not the target audience for that. As someone else said, big companies (and probably smaller ones) do analyse the effects of their ad campaigns, and must think it's worthwhile to spend money on.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Most ads are likely aimed at kids, who then start demanding their parents buy the advertised products.

[FrankJones]

Yet these crummy tasting beers and lousy pizza sell millions of 6-packs and pies, evidence that advertising works.

This is perhaps evidence that people have lousy taste. I'm not sure it's evidence that advertising works.

It lets people know your delicious product exists. Bringing it 'top of mind' when it's time to make a decision.

People don't already know that McDonald's, Snickers, and Pepsi exist?

And this doesn't even get into how people buy products for status or to express their personalities. Silly, perhaps, but people do that. Why do you think people by brand-name products when identical generics are available? Advertising creates that world.

I don't know why people buy brand name products instead of equally good or better generics.

In some bases, maybe the brand name is actually better, and thus people buy it.

Even if you're correct that *you* aren't affected by ads, you're not the only person in the world.

Thanks for that insight. I wasn't aware. There are other people in the world? Why wasn't I informed of this sooner !?

As far as being "puzzled" by this.... it's been studied by academics as well as those in the industry. Have you read up on it, or are you just assuming your personal anecdotes and gut feelings are all there is to know? And that you're smarter than all those executives at very successful companies?

1) No, I have not read up on this. I have far more interesting things to spend my time on. I do not feel compelled to read up on everything I find puzzling in life.
2) Yes, I assume I am smarter than those executives at successful companies. Being in the 99th percentile in intelligence makes it a generally safe assumption that I am smarter than any particular person.

I seem to have struck some sort of nerve with you; I'm puzzled as to the aggressive nature of your post.