ThisPlays International, a leading provider of photo booth products, has grown massively since it was founded in 2016, despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, and now has more than 200 activations across Europe.
Now, the firm has taken a look back at the past few years and explained the reasons behind this rapid expansion.
A new revenue stream
During the global pandemic, the firm experienced an uplift in interest, partly due to its attractive revenue-sharing model. Mark van der Weide, ThisPlays owner and founder, expands on this:
“There is nothing more ideal than creating a new revenue stream and social media activator in one, without any investment.
“We place our photo booths for free, our partners have zero risk and we guarantee a profitable, fully themed activation. We like to keep things very simple, clear and above all win-win. When there is a balanced out commercial agreement, there is also a natural interest to maximize the experience as well as the sales.”
Free trial period
The ThisPlays model only requires a few square metres of space for the photo booth, as well as a socket and everything else is handled in-house by the team, from artwork and construction to content and maintenance. Everything is fully customized for the attraction, museum or zoo.
“By relieving our partners of all these tasks, we create great word of mouth. which is also part of our growth,” adds Van der Weide. “Especially locally in Holland, Belgium and Germany or within chains, where we start with one attraction and in a few years we cover multiple.”
One of the key challenges that the company faces at the outset is how to get a commitment from a client, as opposed to an informal intention:
“It is often a challenge to get long-term agreements signed off; especially when there is so much instability in the world as last few years. So, we came up with a genuine free trial period for all of the potential leads we had. This was a great way to get short-term approval, which automatically turns into a long-term agreement when both parties are satisfied that the KPIs are being met.”
Photo booths deliver on promise
This free trial approach is quite unique in the industry, especially since it is a fully custom product from the design, construction, content and final product. However, ThisPlays is confident in the ability of its photo booths to deliver on their promise. In fact, the firm says that it has not yet had a single customer cancel the agreement during this period. “By now, these have all resulted in long-term agreements,” adds Van der Weide.
“This strategy worked so well that we decided to integrate it as the general standard. It gives a potential partner a lot of confidence when you can say with pride; the proof is in the sales, and we are happy to show you!”
Marc Cayuela, director of operations at SeaLife Paris, says:
“Having experienced ThisPlays firsthand, we are extremely satisfied with the overall experience. The commercial results have been outstanding, expecting our expectations. The quality of exchanges throughout the process was exceptional, with the team displaying a remarkable level of professionalism and expertise.
“Moreover, the efficiency of the technical support provided was impressive, ensuring smooth operations and prompt resolutions to any issues that arose. I highly recommend This Plays for its remarkable service and its ability to deliver exceptional results.”
ThisPlays has recently been developing its client base in the retail sector. It has reported success in placing its photo booths in shopping centres, with excellent levels of customer engagement. It is also working with new clients in the cruise sector, where its photo booths help cruise operators to increase engagement with younger visitors.
