Unique Does Not Equal Good (ex: “Mansions of Madness”)
So this past weekend, I had the opportunity to play "Call of Cthulu: Mansions of Madness 2E”…
This is the latest Lovecraftian horror board game by Fantasy Flight Games.
They’re a top-notch publisher responsible for some modern classics like Twilight Imperium (#5 on Board Game Geek), Star Wars Rebellion (#9), & Arkham Horror (#27).
But while Fantasy Flight Games has had obvious, resounding success…
I think they missed the mark with this one.
And they did so in a way that illustrates a common mistake you need to avoid when marketing your tabletop game:
Trying too hard to be clever.
On the one hand, “being clever” seems innocent at worst and advantageous at best.
After all, who doesn’t like clever? We love clever characters in shows and laugh when our friends make clever puns.
(wait, what do you mean not everyone likes puns?!)
And when it comes to marketing and advertising, it’s hard to believe that “clever” doesn’t work.
Just think to any Super Bowl… the ones that you liked the most were the funny, clever ones, right?
True, true, true… except it isn’t true.
Because for every “clever”twist and marketing ploy that is memorable… there are at least a dozen that are confusing and forgettable
And for every “clever” ad that causes you to purchase.. there dozens more that make zero impact on your buying decisions.
“Clever” is not necessarily effective.
Simply put, three things cause people to purchase:
Clarity (product/market fit)
Proof (evidence that you and your claims are trustworthy)
Persuasion (good reasons to purchase NOW)
Cleverness can help you communicate those three things…
But cleverness can also hinder your ability to sell…
In fact, cleverness can actually REPEL customers from purchasing!!!
You’ve Poured Your Heart and Soul Into Your Tabletop Game
Now It’s Time to Pair it With a Marketing Strategy that Works
Let me use Mansions of Madness 2E as an example…
Being the second edition and all, my guess is that Fantasy Flight Games’ developers needed a reason for people who bought 1E to buy 2E.
So on top of tweaking mechanics here and there to improve gameplay…
They also wanted a fun, interesting (dare I say, clever?!?) new twist on the original; something enticing that would grab people’s attention and compel them to play.
What they settled on certainly fit the bill:
You play MoM with a board and a TV/tablets.
The game is run off a companion app that players must engage with via tablet, computer, or TV.
Most board games do not do this, so it is definitely a way to “stand out from the crowd”!
And it combined with the publisher’s stellar reputation was enough for me to devote 4 hours on a Saturday.
I’m not going to dive into all the mechanics and review the game in detail, because that is not why I am writing this post. If you are looking for that, watch this review from The Dice Tower.
And sure, it was kinda, sorta fun, but…
I would never play it again.
Why?
Because one reason I play board games is to get away from screens.
Do you realize how MUCH I stare at a screen? I’m staring at a screen every time I:
Work on a client’s website
Write a blog post (like this one)
Research industries and trends
Watch baseball or football
Email and text
Most days I live in a virtual world doing digital work. And that irritates and drains me.
Unsurprisingly, I take any chance I get return to physical, grounded reality.
I take walks.
I exercise.
I cook.
I sit in a chair with grass between my toes.
And I play board games in person.
Many tabletop games players are like myself. And one of our favorite things about board games are the tactile, practical, physical, aesthetic aspects.
And in 2024, board games are one of the few things that are still “incarnational”; you get with friends, sit at the same table, look at and talk to each other, hold physical pieces, and play the same thing in the same space.
Its one of the primary benefits that a board game offers me, the player.
So what does this “unique” and “interesting” and “clever” new element on Mansions of Madness do?
MoM 2e pulls you BACK into the virtual world.
Essential aspects of the game are on the app. You can’t choose to not use the TV and app. To the game you MUST interact with it digitally.
As a result, we found ourselves constantly moving back and forth between the screen the the tabletop. In fact, I would say that 60% of the time I was looking at the TV, not the board game or my friends.
For some players, this isn’t a big deal. After all, it is just ONE board game of many that does this… its not like ALL board games are abandoning the in-person element.
And that’s fair.
But for me, and other board gamers like me, it IS a big deal.
And despite being THE target audience for the game, it alienated me and made me never want to buy it.
Because instead of looking up at my friends or flipping through the rulebook, or finding a strategy while I gaze at the board…
My eyes were glued, yet again, to the cold glow of a tablet screen or TV.
Every action, every clue, every twist of the story demands another tap, another prompt, another stretch of time staring into pixels instead of the beautifully sculpted board in front of him.
Now I know that example was about the product itself, and not the MoM marketing material, but I think the lesson stands:
Don’t make “cleverness” or “creativity” your marketing north star.
Yes, it’s super duper important to be unique and differentiate yourself from your competition.
But not at the expense of providing VALUE.
Do not sabotage the core offering, the value that your customer desires and craves, just so you can stand out!
This applies to all of your board game marketing materials: webpages, emails, social posts, ads, crowdfunding pages… everything.
There is no point in standing out if you confuse or threaten the very thing that makes people like your services or products in the first place!
Some examples:
No one cares you have purple apples if they make terrible apple pies
No one cares about your speed shoes if they cause ankle injuries
No one cares about the super comfy bed if it is cursed to cause nightmares
I know those are silly, but do you see what I mean?
You can’t abandon the heart of your industry, the essential elements that make people like you are your competitors, for the sake of standing out from your competitors.
