Anyone who has played fruit machines regularly has probably put at least one coin in a slot based solely on the branding of the machine, whether it’s a TV tie-in, a Hollywood movie, or a connection with a favourite sport.
But now the opposite of this trend is making itself known in the shopping malls of the UK, with fruit machines being used to draw people in to take part in brand-driven promotions.
For example, marketing specialists Nexus Engage recently built a virtual fruit machine as part of an interactive shop window, promoting sales of the Microsoft Surface 2 tablet at the Bluewater Shopping Centre.
Complete with a row of buttons similar to the Start and Hold buttons of normal fruit machines, the display asked shoppers to choose their favourite feature of the tablet – and would then potentially reward them with a voucher for a free coffee, a discount on a Surface 2, or in rare cases a totally free tablet.
With a substantial increase in customer engagement over the course of the promotion, it’s proof positive that fruit machines are still a big draw, and a useful reminder to anyone operating a venue where fruit machine rental might add some extra entertainment to keep customers happy and on-site for longer.