THE FINALISTS 2012 Exclusive Retail Category Partner YOUR TEAM • YOUR GAMES • YOUR AWARDS
AWARD CRITERIA: Customer service, Range and merchandising, Commitment to street dates, Games-specific marketing and promotional activity
RETAIL GENERAL RETAILER TOYS R US
The kids and toys specialist has enjoyed big success with Activisionʼs Skylanders this year, with the US firm quoted in many of the publisherʼs press releases. Toys R Us enjoyed strong Christmas trading, with international total sales up 5.1 per cent. With a solid games offering in the UK, the retailer is now expanding its consumer electronics range in the US and Canada. Earlier this year, the firm hired a new UK managing director in former Asda Living boss Roger McLaughlan.
SAINSBURYʼS Hereʼs an illustration of how big games have come at Sainsburyʼs – during the launch week of Modern Warfare 3, Activisionʼs FPS was the biggest selling item at the supermarket. Not bread or milk. Call of Duty. The firm has been big on hardware with an array of price cuts, while the firm acquired Global Media Vault, which marks its first steps into the digital marketplace.
THE HUT GROUP The owner of Zavvi saw its sales grow 70 per cent during 2011. Its total sales for the year stood at £142m, and 92 per cent of that came from the companyʼs own websites. The firm launched its own trade-in site last year (TheHutRecycle), meanwhile its entertainment site – Zavvi.com – was promoted heavily, even sponsoring the Golden Joystick Awards. The Hut Group has firmly established itself as a major player in games and has secured exclusive games and products.
TESCO Thereʼs been a number of changes at Tesco this year, but the supermarket has continued to throw its weight behind games. The firm launched an excellent bespoke Modern Warfare 3 ad, which aired during prime slots over Christmas. It has even managed to attract celebrities to its stores to promote games, such as Scott Parker visiting Tesco Cheshunt to sign copies of FIFA 12.