GAME, a well-known British high street retailer, has been part of the UK gaming landscape since the early 1990s, with 300 stores serving a loyal community of video game enthusiasts. Yet, despite the passion of their customer base, GAME found it hard to carve out a distinct, compelling voice in the digital world—especially with platforms like YouTube dominating gaming content. My team at Magnetic and I were invited to help GAME bridge this gap. Our goal was to bring GAME closer to its customers, finding ways to tap into their passion and craft a unique content strategy that felt true to the brand. To do this, we focused on gaining genuine insights into the lives of British gamers, uncovering what makes them tick.
Discover
We started with field research, visiting stores, spending time in customers’ homes, and even observing eSports tournaments from the sidelines. This deep-dive approach revealed an unexpected insight: while GAME’s customers were passionate about gaming, they didn’t necessarily see themselves as “gamers.” To them, gaming was a hobby or interest rather than a core identity. These insights shaped our strategy, underscoring the need for GAME’s content to reflect the casual, relatable aspects of gaming rather than adopting a hardcore “gamer” tone. We wanted to ensure GAME’s content felt personal and accessible, speaking to players on their level.
Define
Armed with these insights, we returned to GAME HQ and set up a lean, agile content lab to prototype new ideas. Over several weeks, we tested a range of formats, styles, and tones, experimenting to see what resonated. This approach allowed us to quickly get a feel for what worked and what didn’t, helping GAME refine its digital voice. One of our big discoveries was the power of locally produced content. Some of these pieces outperformed centrally produced material by as much as 71%, showing that content tailored to specific communities could make a real impact.
Develop
In the lab, we conducted rapid, tightly controlled tests on platforms like Facebook, exposing ideas to thousands of viewers and iterating based on their responses. This agile approach allowed us to experiment with real-time feedback, quickly cycling through ideas to see what resonated with GAME’s audience. Each iteration brought us closer to a content strategy that felt authentic and engaging, one that would allow GAME to build a stronger connection with its customers.
Deliver
After six weeks, we equipped GAME with the tools and techniques to increase its content output dramatically. We provided a set of detailed customer personas to guide the team in crafting messages that would hit the mark, while our lean lab approach helped them develop a content strategy that could flex and grow. With a clear understanding of their audience, GAME was able to create timely, tailored content that drove engagement, loyalty, and a deeper connection with their community. The human-centred approach helped GAME find its voice in the digital space, turning insights into impact.
