Game gets a makeover

Times are really tough for retailers in South Africa.

Actually, times are tough for retailers everywhere; having chatted to one of our retail clients in Australia just the other day - it sounds like things are really not much better over there either. The reasons are numerous and complex and bluntly, are not expected to change anytime soon.

In the midst of this doom and gloom however, Game stores have elected to give their brand a little refresher.

From the press release sent out:

'Game today unveiled its reinvigorated brand and new positioning, including a new pay-off line, You’ve Got Game. The refresh aims to reconnect customers with this iconic home-grown brand in a highly engaging and relatable way, while more accurately reflecting the business as it is today.'

The new pay-off line – ‘You’ve Got Game’ is a contemporary update on the founding sentiment that ‘You always win at Game’.

“It’s inclusive. It’s a quintessential insight on the everyday swagger that South Africans have. And it’s indicative of the brand and the brand’s personality and nature. It embraces challenge, and fulfils it. It’s almost a challenge to all of us to have Game, because when You’ve Got Game, then Game’s Got You. Keep your chin up, keep your smile on and keep going.”

The brand is a rebel in the right context, rebelling against the competitors in each category’s higher prices and at times, lower quality. “Outsmarting, day in and day out.”

Game is a mass-market general homeware retailer that is part of the Massmart group.  Their 1Y share price chart shows the extent of the uncertainty surrounding most South African retailers at the moment.

There is obviously no way that a brand makeover of just one brand in the Massmart stable is going to single-handedly reverse this situation, but there is certainly no better time than now to spring clean things are get everyone ready for the eventual up tick in the local consumer market.