Andy Levey of Play Social: Here Are My Top 5 Tried + True Marketing Strategies

An Interview With Rachel Kline

Clearly define your audience. Don’t forget your local market. Be open to unconventional relationships. Utilize your ambassadors. Get involved with your local community.

Generally speaking, someone who is a CMO has learned a tremendous amount about marketing through years of experience. A CMO is in a perfect position to know what is more likely and less likely to work when it comes to marketing. What are the top 5 tried and true marketing strategies that CMOs recommend to other business leaders? As a part of our series called “CMOs Share Their Top 5 Tried + True Marketing Strategies,” we had the pleasure of interviewing Andy Levey.

Chief Marketing Officer of Play Social Inc., Andy Levey, is an award-winning professional in the entertainment and hospitality marketing industry with over two decades of experience. He has spent his career with several notable brands including Two Bit Circus, Cirque du Soleil, Sesame Workshop and more. In his newest role as CMO of Play Social Inc., Andy has helped bring Vegas’ newest social hotspot, Play Playground, to prominence. Deemed “Vegas’ most playful bar”, Play Playground features 20 larger-than-life tactile games and attractions designed to transport adults back to their days of childhood. In addition to the lively atmosphere that encourages spirited, friendly competition, Play Playground has two full-service bars serving up theatrical cocktails, a VIP mezzanine area, local DJs spinning on the weekend and several photo opportunities. Andy is an accomplished leader with a proven history of catalyzing growth and driving innovative strategies.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I started my career in finance and investment banking. It was challenging but I was looking for something different, so I decided to relocate to Las Vegas and pursue my masters in hotel and restaurant management at University of Nevada Las Vegas. The hospitality program at UNLV is one of the best programs in the world, and I was in one of the best cities in the world to apply what I had learned. My education and ideal location worked together as a catalyst to move me up the ranks in the Vegas nightlife industry. From there, I decided to explore the other facets of the entertainment industry, moving into the live performance side and working with Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. Working with a globally renowned brand like Cirque du Soleil allowed me to gain experience across the globe. I was placed in Montreal to oversee global marketing for the company, then moved to Dubai to oversee the launch of a Cirque-like concept called La Perle, which our team built and designed from scratch. I moved back to the States to help launch a new type of entertainment concept called Two Bit Circus. After successfully launching Two Bit Circus, I went into consulting and had the opportunity to advise large brands, such as Nickelodeon and Sesame Street. When I was approached about working on Play Playground, I knew this concept had to be the next unique challenge I took on.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’ve worked with some amazing people along the way, but I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for the support of my wife, and eventually my kids as well. We have lived all over the world and my wife is always the first to say let’s take the next step and go on this adventure. The ability to move every few years and adapt to different countries, cities, and cultures has really taught me how to handle all kinds of situations and people. The more you travel and the more places you live, you’ll realize that people are not so different after all.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Play Playground is a completely unique experience. Have you ever been the star of your own game show? Have you ever made plans for a night out with friends that involve riding a slide or throwing yourself onto a giant bullseye on a trampoline? These over-the-top activities at Play Playground break down barriers (with the help of a little liquid courage) while reminding us of the simplicity of childhood and having fun without being buried in our screens. I feel we’ve addressed an important void in the entertainment market- Play Playground appeals to our basic human need to connect. In addition to feeling young and letting loose, our games encourage people to work together, cheer on, and compete against everyone around them- friend or stranger. I remember the first time I walked into Play Playground with guests. I could feel the energy in the room. The sounds of such genuine laughter and cheering were resounding. It was almost impossible not to have fun.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We’re always working on ways to get people to play together. Our team jokes that on top of our regular jobs, we are scientists and psychologists. We all take part in brainstorming and studying the elements of our games that get people engaged. We are always working on optimizing current games, better understanding guest behavior, and creating additional games that can bring even more play to our venue. Fans of Play Playground can look forward to having new surprises and different challenges to their favorite games.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. There are so many different types of marketing, from digital campaigns and content to influencer and PR. In your experience, has any one area had a bigger impact on business over the rest? Have any of these changed over time?

Success with marketing strategies is dependent on multiple factors. What is the experience you are selling? Who is the target demographic? Where is the experience located? With these answers, you need to figure out the perfect symphony of marketing, with digital, content, influencers, and PR all working together. It is also an ever-evolving composition. What worked for you today may not work for you tomorrow. So, you must constantly evaluate, iterate, test, and evolve.

How often do you try a new marketing strategy, and which ‘boxes’ does it need to tick before you’re willing to implement it?

I think the key word here is “test,” and I am always willing to test new strategies. I first ask myself “What will it do to benefit the business?” Will it help bottom-line revenue? Will it reduce costs? Will it attract new customers? What is the benefit? Once we have a goal, the only way to figure out if a new strategy is fit for our business is to give it a try. Again, being willing to pivot if it is not yielding the intended results is also just as important as the willingness to try.

In your opinion, is it better to try out new marketing tactics or to stick with what you know works? How do you decide where to allocate your budget and resources?

It is very important to stay adaptable. Having a playbook is great and can lay the foundation for sound strategy, but you always have a plan to adapt and pivot. My favorite quote is “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” You have to know that things won’t always go according to plan, and you have to be ready for that. That being said, you have to look at what works for you, what can be tested, and how far you can push campaigns for yourself and your business.

This is the main question of our interview. Can you please tell us your top five most successful marketing strategies? What kind of results did you see? Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Clearly define your audience — The concept of Play works across various ages and demos, however, when we opened in Las Vegas, we really wanted to make our mark and stand out. Being an experiential venue with a bar that is designed for guests 21 and up has really allowed us to carve a niche in this market and industry. In other markets, there will be opportunities to be more family-friendly, but for Vegas, we really wanted to hone our audience which is TikTok/Instagram first media consumers.
2. Don’t forget your local market — In a tourist town like Las Vegas, it can be easy to focus on strategies that only pull travelers. Unfortunately, travelers are transient in nature and may not come back. At Play Playground, we have had success with local activations, industry nights, and community building to create a returning customer base.
3. Be open to unconventional relationships — We recently partnered with UFC champion Dricus Du Plessis to promote IGNITE Spirits. We did not know how MMA fans would receive the Play atmosphere, but everyone had a blast. The event was a hit, and we were glad we were open to the partnership at the moment. We’ve also found that Play is a great canvas for content creators. Where else can you have access to a full playground with larger-than-life games?
4. Utilize your ambassadors — Your brand and content can only take you so far. Play Playground has been very quick to establish a specific POV (Las Vegas’ Most Playful Bar), but you also need others to help relay that message. We have received massive success in working with content creators and influencers. We have content that has gone viral just through the nature of what Play offers. Our first sets of ambassadors and content from creators generated 30M views over a month. This was a great start for an up-and-coming business.
5. Get involved with your local community — Giving back to the local community is so important. We would not be anywhere without the support of the Vegas Valley, and we are constantly looking for ways to give back and share our gratitude. We were so pleased to have the opportunity to raise funds in partnership with the Las Vegas branch of the Human Rights Campaign during Pride Month to support the local LGBTQ+ community. The donation campaign was a huge success for both of us, and we were able to establish Play Playground as a space that is safe for all.

Can you share a time when a strategy didn’t deliver the results you expected and what you learned from the experience?

Nothing is perfect, and as I said, campaigns are constantly changing and evolving. What worked for you today may not work for you tomorrow. So how fast can you adapt, learn, and move forward. Every project is different. Aligning expectations upfront is essential and being honest when evaluating them. I worked on a project where the stakeholders were not aligned in the expectations, and it led to confusion and frustration when evaluating the results. There had to be a level setting done to get the stakeholders aligned to properly evaluate the campaign performance. So, the key takeaway for me was making sure everyone understands the KPIs and what is at stake.

What expert tips can you share with those who just starting to build out their marketing strategy?

I have mentioned this point a few times, but it is so important in this business. My main advice is “adapt, adapt, adapt.” If you’re not adapting, then you are not learning. Do not be left in the dust because you are stuck with strategies that have been done in the past.

Also, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but make sure you learn from them- do not repeat them. Repeating them means that you didn’t learn.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I am a huge supporter of women’s sports. Both of my daughters are athletes and watching the opportunities they have now is amazing to see. So, whether you volunteer, donate money, or time, please help contribute so these awesome athletes have paths forward from a local level to a national level.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andylevey/

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.