“The main goal is to build understanding among players so that they can enjoy the game on first play,” noted Grace Kasper, marketing and public relations manager at Greentube, who explained the reasons behind the company’s introduction of Reel Reveal.
Throughout 2020 we’ve seen the industry adapt and overcome many challenges due to a well documented reason. One of these adaptations is the heightened importance and migration over to the digital space.
We’ve seen companies embrace these digital entities, from conferences, YouTube trailers for games with a higher value of production, behind the scenes into title developments and Webinars with industry experts, adding their own twist to each.
SlotBeats spoke to Kasper who explained the reasoning behind the company’s Reel Reveal videos, how they could be used for a more educational purpose and a little glimpse into the initial development of the videos which includes a little dance.
SlotBeats: What was the reason for introducing Reel Reveal?
Grace Kasper: The idea behind Reel Reveal was to showcase the main USPs of some of our favourite new games to the modern day player in a way that is easy to understand and quick to digest, and which speaks in a language that is as engaging as it is informative. We also saw a gap in the market for this type of “explanation video” directly from providers.
The creators of the games know them best, and we therefore thought Reel Reveal could be useful to not only grab the attention of players, but also pique the interest of casino managers looking for new games to add to their portfolios.
SB: What do you hope to achieve with the videos for Reel Reveal?
GK: The main goal is to build understanding among players so that they can enjoy the game on first play. Trying a slot for the first time requires investment and if a player doesn’t instantly like what they see, they’ll quickly take their money elsewhere.
Diamond Link: Mighty Elephant, for example, the game which inspired our first ever episode, introduced a lock and spin and new jackpot feature that online players might not have been familiar with. We want the person watching to come away knowing the names of these features and how they look once triggered. Then, even if they are unlucky in their own game, they know the potential. Ultimately, this should spark intrigue in the product.
SB: With many slot games now being complex with several features and mechanics, could the industry do more to educate players and promote games more effectively?
GK: Absolutely! The industry often talks about attracting new players, particularly in the past year as we have seen more and more customers migrating from other sectors who might not be familiar with the new “whizz bang” features of the modern slot game. It has become increasingly important to know how to speak to consumers on many varying levels and ensure they know how the game works.
There is a general trend in the sector for feature-rich content. This is meant to keep the level of excitement balanced throughout the game even at its base and all throughout the bonus rounds. Many of our games now have between five and eight features. Not only free spins, but also mechanics that have multiple layers within them. Take Romeo and Juliet – Sealed with a Kiss as an example.
The main USP of this game is to have Romeo’s love letter reach Juliet on her balcony. If you are lucky enough to achieve this, then there are three additional features you can trigger. A new player might not immediately grasp this and could be quickly put off if the gameplay appears too complex. But with better education beforehand, they’re likely to find more enjoyment and stay on the game for longer sessions.
SB: From a marketing point of view, what has the response been so far?
GK: We’ve received great praise both internally and externally. Many employees are extremely invested in the series, and our B2B partners have found the videos very useful, both in terms of helping them decide which games to feature but also in attracting players to the title once live.
As the series has expanded, we’ve seen its value grow. Even with the Book of Ra deluxe ten episode – which is based on a brand that needs no introduction – we were able to encourage players, both new and fans of the original, to try out the latest edition.
When slot enthusiasts have clear favourites, it can be tricky to convince them to try something different. The Reel Reveal episode clearly demonstrated what the latest addition to the family had to offer and helped boost its appeal.
SB: Tell us more about the latest episode, Santa’s Riches, and the creation of the video?
GK: These videos generally have a rather quick turnaround and are produced completely in-house, which is a great feat given how much work is involved. It’s also a big project management task as teams tend to sit in different locations.
For Santa’s Riches, the development team was based in our innovation lab in the UK. We worked closely with them to script the episode, finding out their favourite aspects when designing the game to make sure they were presented in the best way possible.
Afterwards, our talented content and design experts took over and added a concept to the episode, created storyboards, cut game sequences together – the works. We have an excellent crew, so the filming is always a bag of laughs and we make a real day of it.
SB: Are there any behind-the-scenes stories you can share?
GK: Considering I previously mentioned the fast turnaround of all the videos, the first episode we ever filmed for Diamond Link: Mighty Elephant was a different story. In fact, the first attempt at filming was such a disaster that we had to shoot it again with the help of a great director.
All I can say is that it involved dancing, which I can’t claim to be a personal talent of mine. After going back to the drawing board, however, we re-shot the episode and produced a fantastic video to kick off the series.
The experience meant that we were able to learn from our mistakes early on in the process and are now continuing to improve with every episode. There’s clear progression with our latest three titles, Sevens Staxx, Spooky Spells, and Santa’s Riches.
The last two of those were especially fun to produce, as their themes have allowed us to be really creative and play around with costumes and, of course, puns.
SB: What can we expect from Reel Reveal in the future?
GK: Well, no dancing with any luck! But all jokes aside, we plan to continue tailoring our offering to the needs of our B2B partners and B2C customers to keep adding value. From the development side, we’re exploring how to best use animation to show off Greentube’s latest and greatest in their best light. There have been whispers of finding a second host if there is someone out there who is game enough.
