The RHOE: The Game... and why it exists?
Yeah, so, long time no see. I will introduce the game shortly, but first, I am going to be a downer and explain why this game exists…
Right now, I see two worrisome trends. You have probably felt the first, but maybe not realized the second.
Firstly, business owners are increasingly worried about revenue. The state of the economy? Sure, but not only that. Consumer habits are shifting. People are buying less or downgrading after a glut of online shopping over the last few years. It is worrisome because if this trend keeps trending, stores might be shuttering.
The second trend is more annoying than worrisome, but it has a major impact on the business world… and it is that there are more marketers talking online about marketing than marketers practicing marketing. Super annoying. Most of what is said is regurgitated. The worrisome part is that business owners and operators are caught in the cross-fire of the marketers’ mating calls.
And it is compounding the first trend.
Business owners are bombarded with tons content that gives them the impression there is some magic dust out there that will solve all of their needs. We all know that isn’t true, even the talking heads know it isn’t true, but nevertheless more and more content is pumped out and it confuses people.
Admittedly, I felt like one of those talking heads last year. And that is why you haven’t heard from me in a long time. I didn’t want to add to that noise. But I didn’t want to throw away The Real Heroes of Ecommerce either... It’s a really good name, after all.
So I hemmed and hawed as to what I wanted to do with the RHOE until about 2 months ago. I was playing Cards Against Humanity with some coworkers at a completely voluntary happy hour at work (jk beer and nachos arrived; the peasants rejoiced), and it was a lot of fun.
Completely random. Creative. Hilarious. It dawned on me that this game makes you think differently. In very inappropriate ways, mind you, but it twists that creative muscle just right.
So I thought, What if there was a game like this for ecommerce? What if all that marketing noise online is clouding our creative minds? What if we didn’t take ourselves so seriously and had some fun with it.
Bingo… that is what I wanted The Real Heroes of Ecommerce to become.
Something that ecommerce owners and marketers can use. Not listen to, follow, or save in a swipe file for later. But something that will broaden their minds and help improve performance by seeing marketing situation from other’s perspectives.
Because that is what experience is… more perspective. And that is what we need to become better in business.
I think this game will turn out to be fun, but more importantly, I hope it is effective. It will be a total geekfest and cornier than Iowa, but it will sharpen your marketing mind.
The game is set in the DTC Universe full of fun characters that are probably as goofy as they are realistic. You do not want to miss out. It’ll be a hoot.
RHOE: The Game
The year is 2023 and tension is building in the DTC Universe. Ecommerce is on the rise, and small brands are being oppressed by Babylon, the world’s largest online marketplace, and Organized Retail whose combined resources are causing mom-n-pop shops to shutter.
To politicians, executives, and benefactors, Babylon is a philanthropic powerhouse, but a darkness is at play under the surface. In the shadows, Babylon is funding a group of rogue software engineers-turned-hackers known as the Abandoned Cartel to infiltrate tech giants Doodle and Feta, wreaking havoc across the digital world. Marketing efforts of the DTC brands are being crippled in their insidious attempt to deplete the small guys of market share.
It is up to you, Heroes of Ecommerce, to thwart Babylon and Organized Retail and take back the market share that rightfully belongs in the hands of the people of the DTC Universe.