Playing children’s games with deadly penalties for the chance to win billions of dollars.
This Netflix programme became one of the on-demand streamer’s most-watched programmes in several regional markets within a week of its release.
The Korean Series Squid Game started streaming last month, featuring a nine-episode series. The international hit may return with a second season, although the director has not promised anything just yet.
This popular game series has even caused some restaurants and shops to jump on the hype, in a bid to lure customers in with games and prizes.
We take a look at some businesses that have taken a spin on the popular Squid Game to drive customer engagement and improve sales.
LiHO
Tapping on the Squid Game hype, bubble tea chain LiHO used the popular series to promote the launch of its myLiHOTEA membership.
It posted on social media on how members can get birthday rewards, 1-for-1 drinks voucher for each sign up, earn points and get exclusive promotions, using the scenes from the Netflix series to interest them to sign up for the “prizes”.
Customers are asked to scan the QR code on the Squid Game image to sign up for the membership.
According to Shopsinsg, the bubble tea chain has a network of 95 outlets in Singapore. It also offers online delivery via its own site and food apps like foodpanda, Grab, and Deliveroo.
To drive sales, it recently introduced Singapore themed drinks, including Singa-Pandan Lime and Singa-Pandan Shake.
Brown Butter Cafe
Following the show whereby participants are given honeycomb candy to carve out shapes within a time frame, or face death, Brown Butter Cafe is offering the same challenge for customers – without deadly bullets involved.
Customers can choose to cut out either a circle, star or heart, and have to cut it under two minutes to receive a prize card. The prizes range from a free cheesecake to latte.
The challenge, which started on September 29, will last till October 24th. It is only available during weekdays.
Buey Tahan See-food
The zi char and seafood chain came up with its own rendition, called Crab Game.
The event runs from now till October 17th. There’s a specially designed invitation card replacing the circle symbol with that of a crab and 10,000 of these cards are given out at random to customers who make delivery or takeaway orders.
Customers play a game of Flappy Bird – a game where users tap the screen to make the bird fly and avoid obstacles – and post the results on Facebook with the hashtag #crabgame and tag the zi char store’s Facebook page.
Users also have to send the screenshot via Facebook messenger. The high score players can win attractive prizes, including a seafood bag, a single crab, or food vouchers.
It’s also offering a grand prize of S$456 cash. Users have to win exactly 456 points in the Flappy Bird game for that.
Cafe Coco
The cafe situated in a picturesque corner at Gardens by the Bay is offering Squid Game designed latte to its customers.
Customers need to mention “Red light, Green light” over the counters and it is limited to the first 456 players only.
The cafe which sells brown butter choux puffs, artisanal handcrafted waffles, and bottled brews said it suffered when walk-in customers dwindled significantly due to the pandemic. The business also offers online delivery.
Acai Collective
The acai dessert brand also launched a social media campaign asking winners to guess which of the store’s standard acai bowls contain three fruits – kiwi, strawberry, and banana.
In a push for engagement, it requested for Instagram users to tag a friend and follow the brand IG page.
It gave away a large Acai Collective bowl to three winners.
Little Bear House
The specialty indoor playground at Serangoon Gardens posted on its Instagram page a “Squid Game”, to drive engagement to its business.
It listed two truths and one lie, asking users to guess which was a false statement. Winners get to win a pair of weekday passes to the experiential playground.
The playground offers 2,500 sqft of space, toys, and sofas for parents and children to visit and play.
Bibimpicks
The clothing business which brings customers wearables designed and manufactured in Korea has launched a preorder for Squid Game special apparels.
The clothes are available from baby to junior sizes. The launch started on October 8th and is only available for a limited time. There’s also a preorder for Squid Game designed clothes in adult sizes.
It closed its preorders early due to “overwhelming” response. The business may open preorders again to catch on the Squid Game hype.
Businesses luring customers with gimmicks, deals during tightened Covid-19 measures
The Singapore government issued safety measures late last month in a bid to curb the community spread of the pandemic.
Some measures include working from home as the default and two pax dining restrictions.
The latest measures have caused many businesses to struggle, with many expecting at least 60 per cent of total sales to be hit by the restrictions.
Some eateries have ended up closing shop this year, as footfall and rental issues continue to plague.
While the fun is in the games, the businesses actually have a serious need for survival in this period. That’s unfortunately, very much similar to the game of survival seen in the Squid Games.
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Featured Image Credit: Brands’ logos, Brown Butter Cafe, Aletheajane, Bibimpicks