Squatter, the iconic Australian board game was invented by Robert Lloyd and has been in their family now since the early 60’s. Since that time it has sold in excess of 500,000 copies throughout Australia and New Zealand. Squatter has operated under various licensing models including with Milton Bradley and Murfett in addition being sold via distributors. The game is now under the control of Richard Lloyd (Robert’s Son) and we met Richard at the Australian Toy Hobby & Licensing Fair in 2018.
The Squatter Brief
We sat down with Richard and Chris (his wife) to discuss the journey of Squatter and to learn about his vision for the game and brand for the future. Bugg Marketing Solutions carried out an extensive review of Squatter and it’s current position in the market, then set about developing a proposal to Richard to provide professional guidance to him with the clear purpose of securing the IP for he and his family well into the future.
It became obvious that the existing distributor model (which Richard had engaged when he took control of the game) had a number of limitations and that having only one flagship game also limited the opportunity to be scaled across the market and to new countries. Bugg Marketing Solutions identified that by adding new formats and price-points, we could ensure that the brand would become more valuable across the market and provide greater distribution options.
The New Formats
- Squatter Mates — classic card game
- Squatter compact version — for those on-the-go
The next step was to move the commercial model for the game to a direct-sales model as apposed to the previous distributor model. This enabled Squatter to focus exclusively on the Squatter brand as the primary task. Bugg Marketing Solutions became the exclusive sales and marketing arm for the business. This included an exclusive partnership with a new logistics partner, Australasian Distribution Network.
We then developed a comprehensive global plan for the Squatter brand, which is based on three pillars:
- Squatter Inc. — games & product portfolio
- Squatter — custom division
- Squatter — brand licensing
This plan provided a clear roadmap of how and where we wanted the brand to progress and included a focus on strategic International markets and all other elements of the DNA of Squatter.
Key takeaway from the case study
What Did We Learn?
- In the beginning you must have a valuable brand
- Have a clear vision of what you want to achieve
- Engage the right professional partners to provide guidance
- Plan carefully and work to the plan
- Establish a sound style guide and asset library
- Stay the journey and focus on excellence