Page 34 - RLI May 2019

RLI LEISURE INSIGHT

The Power of fun

IN THIS moNTH’S LEISURE INSIGHT DavID FoSTER,
aSSocIaTE PaRTNER aT oc&c STRaTEGy coNSULTaNTS
TakES a Look aT THE PowER oF FUN aND THE mULTIPLE
wayS IN wHIcH LEISURE bRaNDS caN UNLock IT

s many Britons finalise their plans for Brexit-induced The best overall leisure brands in the UK, according to guests,
staycations for the upcoming summer holidays, our global were P&O Cruises, Wagamama, Vue, Premier Inn, Subway and
Astudy of 40,000 consumers across 600+ brands reveals David Lloyd all joining Thorpe Park and Butlin’s as the nation’s most
that ‘fun’ really is a key component for many guests. favourite leisure brands.
We asked consumers to rate their experience of brands on fun, Certain brands have been using fun successfully to win favour
alongside other key elements of the proposition, for brands across with guests. Butlin’s scores very highly due to the strength of its
the leisure ecosystem – restaurants and bars, cafés & coffee shops, team, evening entertainment and great atmosphere making it
fast food and food to go, accommodation, cruises, resorts, theme the most fun family resort experience in the UK. Similarly, guests
parks, gyms and health clubs, and cinemas. return regularly to TGI Fridays because of the buzzy environment,
energetic team and fun, indulgent food and drink menu. For Royal
Fun as Fundamental Caribbean, getting cruisers to try new things and activities such
The benefits of being more fun have wide reaching implications for as learning to rock climb or surf on-board is a key way to help
hospitality and leisure brands and are proven to be real and significant. guests have fun.
More fun brands typically benefit from a higher number of positive personal In contrast, some other brands such as Premier Inn and JD
recommendations with one in five recommending the most fun brands to Wetherspoons focus on delivering great value based on surprisingly
friends and family. Plus, they are more likely to experience stronger brand good, consistent quality at good prices, to attract guests who are
loyalty: over a quarter of consumers are likely to return more frequently to looking for more functional experiences.
the most fun brands. These factors are becoming ever more important in
a world where guests are increasingly looking online for inspiration when unloCKing the power oF Fun
deciding where to go, are visiting a greater variety of brands and are less So fun is important. But what should you do if your brand is
convinced by old-fashioned value-based promotions. lacking the fun factor? The following steps are a good start to
Being able to provide guests with fun experiences is important in developing a fun strategy.
any leisure sector, but is crucial to theme parks, cinemas, and resort & 1. Keep it fresh: Guests typically have more fun if they can get
holiday parks – fun is identified as a vital differentiator in these segments. away from more mundane, everyday experiences and try something
We’re also seeing a shift in generational behaviour. Millennials new. Brands can use this to their advantage by encouraging guests
and Gen Z are the consumers of now and the future. They are to be a little more adventurous in their choices.
more demanding, less brand loyal and prefer to spend money on 2. Make it shareable: Interacting with people is often a key
experiences rather than products. Understanding how to offer more driver of fun. Brands should capitalise on this by providing an
fun experiences should be a high priority for brands wanting to appeal environment that brings people together and gets them talking
more strongly to these generations and gain competitive advantage. (and Instagramming).
3. Fun is a team sport: The most fun brands have strong
uK Fun Champions committed teams that are fully bought into what the brand
The OC&C Fundex identifies a set of UK Fun Champions, based represents. Whether the team are creating the fun or merely
on ratings from consumers: Thorpe Park was crowned as the Most facilitating it, the experience is written into the DNA of the team
Fun Brand in the UK, with an average ‘fun’ score of 83 per cent, and and how they interact with guests.
four in five people giving the brand top fun ratings. 4. Beware the fun-killers: Slow service, inconsistent standards
and poor value for money are just a few of the most common
mistakes brands make that stop guests having fun.
The research also uncovers how much fun different countries
have. Despite France being home to the most fun leisure brand
across all the markets surveyed – a historical-themed amusement
park: Puy du Fou – the research suggests that the French have the
least fun of all countries surveyed, with the British mid-table ahead
of the Germans and the Chinese and Americans top.
Our research helps to understand why the French, the Germans
and the Brits have less fun than American or Chinese leisure guests.
Not only are they nations of bargain hunters – a character trait
associated with guests that claim to have less fun – they also spend
a lot of time alone with their partners despite not having very much
fun with them.
It is clear from our research that fun should never be viewed as
a by-product. Leisure brands should really consider ways in which
they can use this to their advantage, and help us all to have more
fun along the way.

34 retail & leisure international MAY 2019