From Game Night to the Office, Trivial Pursuit and PR Go Hand-in-Hand

Hi my name is Lauren and I am one of the new interns for Rebecca Adele PR & Events. As a college student with a limited budget, my friends and I are always coming up with fun ways to spend our nights and weekends between homework and coffee runs. Recently, we started playing different board games as inexpensive entertainment. I didn’t realize at the time that the group favorite, Trivial Pursuit, could apply not only to my major, but also to my future career as a PR Practitioner.

I began doing research about the game one night in search of another edition to buy. There are dozens of new editions of the game, including an online version, a Facebook App, and an iPhone app. Hasbro collaborates with large franchises like Star Wars, Disney, or even The Rolling Stones to keep the game relevant. But what struck me the most was the research I found about the first stages of the game, and how simple public relations principals took Trivial Pursuit from the beginning stages to 20 million homes in two short years.

In 1982, Trivial Pursuit sent out 1,800 games to different consumers across the nation. These almost acted as mini focus groups to measure the success and likeability of the games. Trivial Pursuit also set up games in public places for anyone to play. The creators of Trivial Pursuit went directly into the public to market their game through hands-on experience.  In a mere 2 years, Trivial Pursuit went from zero sales to 20 million. Times magazine named it the “biggest phenomenon in game history.”

This led me to an important thought; the most effective PR strategies will differ from client to client. A direct-to-public approach is not always the best option depending on the service or product offered. In the case of a board game, it worked wonders. Apple, Inc. uses a similar approach within their stores, allowing customers to come right in and see for themselves. It is important to know how to solve crises, maintain good rapport with the public, and market your brand. But above all these skills, it is important to know how to cater your expertise to maximize positive outcomes for each client’s specific needs. 

Here is an interesting CBC News clip from when Trivial Pursuit first came out!