Launching Flip Out Watford with Digital Marketing

CHALLENGE

When Flip Out Watford opened its doors in December 2023, it faced a significant challenge: starting with zero local brand awareness and no established customer base. Located in the expansive basement of the former John Lewis store in the Atria Shopping Centre, the new indoor adventure park was tasked with not only introducing itself to the local community but also ensuring that visitors would actively book sessions.

The primary offerings included birthday parties, after-school clubs and off-peak “Stay and Play” sessions for preschoolers. The problem was clear – while Flip Out HQ had initiated some general awareness campaigns, there was no clear strategy in place to convert that awareness into bookings, especially with a modest marketing budget.

The challenge was to quickly build awareness and generate a high volume of bookings, using cost-effective digital channels that would provide measurable results.

Solution

Oyster was brought in to lead the digital marketing and help Flip Out Watford transition from raising brand awareness to actionable bookings. We approached the challenge by building a strong foundation of data and targeting, ensuring our marketing efforts were aligned with business objectives.

First, we knew that tracking would be critical to evaluating the success of our campaigns. We set up comprehensive tracking systems from the outset, including Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager to monitor website interactions. Additionally, we integrated Meta Conversions API and Google Ads server-side tracking, ensuring we had a complete, accurate picture of campaign performance. This allowed us to optimise campaigns in real-time, based on what was driving the most valuable actions.

Once the tracking foundation was in place, we turned our attention to refining the campaigns that Flip Out HQ had started. Their initial focus had been on raising awareness, but we needed to shift the strategy towards generating actual bookings, particularly for the venue’s high-priority offerings. We worked closely with Flip Out HQ to adjust the messaging, add more copy variations and shift campaign objectives from awareness to purchase conversions. The goal was to ensure that as the venue opened, we weren’t just generating traffic, but actually converting that traffic into booked experiences.

Tracking and analytics setup

With the venue officially open in late December, we took over the complete digital marketing management on January 7. We decided to focus heavily on Google Search Ads and Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) to drive immediate conversions. On Meta, we ran conversion campaigns targeting specific offerings like Birthday Parties, After School Clubs and Stay and Play sessions. Using vibrant, engaging ads and animations, we created content that appealed directly to parents – our primary target audience – using a mix of existing photography and video content. We experimented with different audience segments, testing age ranges, locations, interests and even lookalike audiences to find the most effective combinations for driving conversions.

In addition to paid ads, we implemented a retargeting strategy on Meta, targeting users who had added items to their cart but hadn’t completed their booking. This was a key part of our strategy, as it allowed us to re-engage individuals who had already shown interest but needed a little extra push to convert.

As a complementary effort, we worked on boosting Flip Out Watford’s organic reach. We launched organic social media posts to highlight the Stay and Play sessions, an off-peak offering designed to fill quieter times during the week. We also optimised Flip Out Watford’s Google My Business (GMB) listing, recognising that local visibility is crucial for leisure destinations. Based on our experience with similar brands like Go Ape and Jump In Trampoline Parks, we knew that GMB was a vital source of local traffic and bookings. By optimising this listing we ensured that Flip Out Watford would appear in local search results, driving organic bookings from people actively searching for things to do in the area.

I’m delighted by the results Oyster have achieved for us. Since our launch, they have continued to support the growth of the business with insightful strategic advice and highly effective promotional campaigns. I couldn’t be happier.
Hetvi Patel
Flip Out Watford

Result

The results of the campaign were impressive and exceeded our expectations. In the first month, we achieved significant success with a relatively modest initial media spend of £880, which generated over £12,540 in bookings – a 14.3x Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).

Our ads reached over 145,940 impressions, raising awareness of the venue in the local community. The campaigns targeted key offerings such as Birthday Parties and After School Clubs, both of which saw strong bookings, particularly during weekends. The Stay and Play sessions also began to see healthy bookings, especially as our organic posts helped to build awareness for these off-peak sessions.

One of the standout achievements was the performance of our retargeting ads. By targeting people who had shown interest but hadn’t completed their booking, we achieved an outstanding ROAS of 19.1. This demonstrated the power of focusing on users with high purchase intent and the effectiveness of our retargeting strategy.

Additionally, the optimisation of the Google My Business listing began to drive organic traffic, helping to capture local search volume and provide an additional channel for bookings.

Month one proved that with the right digital marketing strategy, a new venue could not only create awareness but also turn that awareness into immediate, measurable results. We have already set our sights on the future and are working on campaigns designed to drive high visitor numbers during peak periods.

Looking ahead to continued growth and optimisation

The successful launch of Flip Out Watford demonstrates the effectiveness of a data-driven, conversion-focused digital marketing strategy. By setting up proper tracking, refining campaign objectives and executing targeted ads across Meta and Google, we were able to turn a brand-new venue with no awareness into a thriving local business with strong initial bookings. Our ability to adapt quickly and strategically helped Flip Out Watford hit the ground running and we’re excited to continue optimising their marketing for even greater success in the coming months.

At Oyster, we specialise in creating high-impact, data-driven marketing strategies that deliver tangible results. Our ability to quickly assess challenges, optimise campaigns and drive measurable sales growth is what sets us apart. Flip Out Watford is just one example of how we turn challenges into lasting success, helping our clients grow and thrive in competitive markets.

Click here to read more success stories and how we’ve helped other leisure operators increase their venue footfall.

14.3x ROAS on spend

19.1x ROAS on retargeting ads

145,940 impressions