Make your Centre stand out this holiday season by engaging shoppers with a Christmas-themed interactive digital game.   

As the holiday season draws near, shopping centres everywhere are pulling out all the stops to attract customers, engage shoppers, and drive sales. However, the real challenge lies in creating an experience that stands out in a sea of holiday promotions and resonates with shoppers in a meaningful, memorable way.

One creative approach to achieving this is by developing a Christmas-themed interactive digital game.

This kind of initiative taps into the festive spirit while offering a unique,enjoyable experience that keeps shoppers coming back. Here’s how marketers and shopping centre operators can create a Christmas-themed digital game that makes their venue a holiday destination. 

Understand the Value of a Digital Game in a Shopping Environment

Digital games are powerful engagement tools, especially during the holiday season. Not only do they entertain, but they also foster a sense of play and excitement among shoppers. By integrating a Christmas-themed game that’s accessible via smartphones or interactive screens, shopping centres can capture customer attention and boost foot traffic across multiple retail areas. When done right,a digital game can:  

1) Increase dwell time: Shoppers who are actively participating in a game are likely to stay in the centre longer, leading to greater chances of purchasing.       

2) Promote Centre exploration: A game can be designed to encourage players to visit different stores to unlock levels, earn rewards, or collect virtual “holiday items”.     

3) Create a memorable experience: Families especially appreciate these activities as they can entertain children while parents’ shop. The interactive game becomes a highlight of their holiday season, associating positive memories with your shopping centre.   

Choose the Right Type of Game for Your Audience

Understanding your audience demographics is key to selecting the most engaging type of game. Some popular options to consider include: 
 
AR Games or Treasure Hunts: Incorporate a Christmas treasure hunt where players can search for hidden “presents” or“clues” around the shopping centre. This game could involve augmented reality (AR) elements, where users scan QR codes or icons scattered across stores to reveal digital rewards. AR experiences can also be used by specific retailers to add ‘interactivity’ to their window displays.

Interactive Touchscreen Games: Using large format touchscreen technology, a variety of themed games could be deployed in your Centre. Large screens are both visually impactful and an ‘attention grabber’ for shoppers of all ages and demographics. Ideas such as a virtual advent calendar or a virtual snowball fight will bring a real buzz to the space!   
  
Mobile Games: What about shoppers who haven’t reached the Centre yet or have been missing in action? Remotely engage customers away from the Centre by sharing a mobile game to your database, on your website or via social media. This can raise awareness of Centre activities and promotions, link to retail offers and drive more foot traffic to your venue.  

Each of these game types can be customised to reflect the holiday spirit and tailored to guide shoppers through various areas of your shopping centre, ensuring they have a fun, exploratory experience. 

Add Festive Rewards and Incentives to Drive Engagement

The success of any game often depends on what players stand to gain. To make your holiday game irresistible, offer attractive, holiday-themed rewards. These could include:       

Exclusive discounts and vouchers: Upon completing game tasks, players could earn redeemable discounts at participating stores.      

Holiday merchandise: Give out Christmas merchandise such as festive mugs, holiday ornaments, or shopping centre-branded items.

Photos with Santa or special Christmas characters: Winners could be rewarded with a complimentary photo session with Santa or other popular holiday figures.      

Prize Draw Entries: For higher-value incentives, consider adding a grand prize draw, where participants who complete the game are entered to win a holiday shopping spree or a high-value gift card. Offering a variety of reward levels can encourage more participants and keep people motivated to continue playing. 

Monitor and Measure Success for Future Seasons

Finally, once the game is launched, it’s crucial to monitor engagement metrics to gauge its success. After the season ends, analyse this data to understand what worked well and what could be improved. This feedback will help refine future holiday campaigns, allowing your shopping centre to keep innovating and delivering memorable customer experiences year after year. 

A Christmas-themed interactive digital game has the potential to transform a routine shopping trip into an enchanting holiday experience. By designing a game that’s festive, fun, and rewarding, you’ll create lasting memories for families, increase shopper engagement, and make your shopping centre a destination throughout the holiday season. With the right mix of creativity, technology, and festive cheer, you’ll be well on your way to standing out from the holiday crowd.