APPLE PAY
STORY & GOAL
Apple Pay offers an easy, secure, and private way to make contactless purchases. Using Near Field Communication technology, Apple Pay allows users to make in-store purchases while avoiding touching buttons or exchanging cash.
In their 2019-20 partnership with the Sacramento Kings, Apple Pay aimed to introduce their product to Golden 1 Center as the preferred method of payment at concessions and retail.
THE SOLUTION
The Sacramento Kings implemented two promotions at nine select game nights to incentivize fans to use Apple Pay: Fans who paid with Apple Pay at concessions could purchase water for only $1, and retail purchases using Apple Pay earned a free gift.
To effectively engage with fans, Apple Pay brand ambassadors assisted fans through the quick and easy Apple Pay setup process, allowing them to take advantage of the promotions.
To market the offer, permanent signage was implemented at retail and concessions points of sale throughout the arena along with digital signage on the exterior of the arena to reach fans prior to entry. Additionally, the Kings amplified the promotion through purposeful in-venue engagement, training of gameday staff, and strategically located messaging.
Finally, concession stand staff were also incentivized to advocate for fans to complete their purchases with Apple Pay, with top performing concession stands being rewarded with gift cards.
THE SUCCESS
In addition to succeeding in its initiative of driving more Apple Pay users, the partnership enabled fans to have a more frictionless guest experience.
This promotion, which ran during nine home games from December 2019 through March 2020 successfully led to increased fan adoption of Apple Pay and increased in-arena sales as a whole. Specifically, the partnership drove the following on activation nights:
110.8%
Increase in Apple Pay Transactions
77.6%
Increase in Apple Pay Volume
9%
Transaction Increase at Concessions
18.5%
Increase in Retail Transactions
PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY
To amplify the in-arena activations and effectively connect with their fan base, the Sacramento Kings utilized the following methods:
POINT OF SALE ENGAGEMENT
- Signage and in-person engagement at point of sale throughout Golden 1 Center concessions and retail locations
IN-ARENA READS
- Reached up to 17,000 fans in the arena during games with promotional messages read by emcees and graphics displayed on the digital screens.
ARENA SIGNAGE
- IPTV concourse monitors, digital ribbons, OOH vertical billboards
DIGITAL PROMOTIONS
- Kings App push notifications, Sacramento Kings social media, email, Golden1Center.com