Marketing World

The Nerf Training Camps, which are being held in the UK for the first time, will take place in 31 Haven holiday parks, taking guests on an exhilarating, energetic and entertaining competitive adventure.

The event is a dynamic two-team game, combining the buzz and play of paintball with the speed and agility of basketball. Each player, equipped with a Nerf blaster and safety goggles, will compete to score points by getting the ball into the opponent’s net without being struck by the opposition. The gameplay space will feature inflatable obstacles that players can use to duck and dive around to avoid rival darts, rounds and discs.

Simon Price, operations director for Activities & Leisure, Entertainment and Retail at Haven, said: “We are thrilled to introduce the high-energy Nerf Training Camp to Haven this May for our guests. We pride ourselves on our diverse and interactive range of park activities that make for many fond, long-lasting memories, and we look forward to seeing players of all ages battle it out for victory.”

Brian Ward, chief operating officer for Rocafella Leisure, added: “Nerf Training Camp, exclusive to Haven holiday parks, will provide tremendous fun for children and adults alike. Nerf is renowned for its engaging play and energetic performance, and we are extremely excited to bring the iconic Nerf blaster in a collaborative, fun-for-all game to Haven.”

He added: “This marks the first of many projects earmarked in our newly formed partnership with Haven to deliver Hasbro branded leisure activity across their parks, inspired by our inaugural Nerf Action Xperience entertainment centre opening in Manchester later this summer.”

Joking Hazard, the games division of the multimedia powerhouse Cyanide & Happiness, has officially signed with Gift PR for its UK and US PR needs.

Gift PR will work closely with Joking Hazard’s marketing team to develop and implement targeted PR campaigns focused on spreading the news of the company’s successful games. The campaigns will be aimed at increasing brand awareness, improving customer engagement and driving sales in both the UK and US.

Cyanide & Happiness is an internationally recognised brand known for its webcomics, animated show, YouTube videos and popular ‘not-for-kids’ party games, all of which are fuelled by a dedicated and long-standing fanbase. Boasting 12m Facebook followers, 3.75b+ views on YouTube, over a million daily visitors to its website and 1.9m Instagram followers, the company’s social reach speaks for itself.

Gift PR was originally conceived as a souvenir PR campaign for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate back in 2011. The Gift PR concept has gone on to execute numerous PR campaigns themed around gifting, including Christmas Gifts, Valentine’s Day, summer holidays and many more, resulting in continuous coverage in coveted gift guides for national press, TV and other mainstream media. The re-branded company offers services including public relations, social media, event management, digital marketing, creative services, copywriting and marketing consultancy.

Joking Hazard recently successfully crowdfunded and released its newest game, Master Dater, now available for purchase on its website (Explosm.net), Amazon US and Amazon UK. Cyanide & Happiness, meanwhile, has announced an official collaboration with the Educated Barfly that will see the crafting of its very own branded signature cocktail.

The Educated Barfly website and YouTube channel features articles, recipes and stepby-step informative videos of Classic, Modern Classic and Craft cocktails from some of the industry’s top bartenders. The upcoming crossover will see both groups reaching each other’s vast and active communities and brings the well-loved unique “not-for-kids” attitude of Cyanide & Happiness to the Educated Barfly’s world of high-class cocktails.

Focusing on all things squishy, One For Fun‘s summer campaign launched with Scrunchems, which are now available in all permutations and sizes. The squidgy, squishy balls are filled with everything from neon beans and glitter to food items. Some are furry, others are scented and all of them are squishy and addictive. Of particular interest are the squishy neon scented bears in bright colours.

These sensory collections are proving especially popular with influencers who want stimulating fidgets for children with sensory needs. As part of its marketing efforts, One for Fun asked a selection of influencers to choose which products from the Scrunchems range they were interested in reviewing. The second wave of the campaign is now well underway, providing many more opportunities for consumers to see Scrunchems in action.

At the end of May, the Micro Fidgetz influencer campaign also began. Tipped to be a ‘must have’ fidget toy this year, Micro Fidgetz combines collectability, fidgety fun and real working toys. Micro toys are all the rage at the moment, but these Micro Fidgetz are mini replicas of the full-sized toys – and they actually work. The surprise element is there too: one fidget is displayed in the transparent dome on the top of the tub, while four blind bags containing more Fidgetz are underneath.

David Mordecai, CEO of One for Fun, said: “The feedback we are getting from influencers and consumers alike is great. Micro Fidgetz is a unique range and watching the delight as the kids reveal the fidget surprises just shows how popular and collectible these ranges are. We are planning more influencer campaigns for the fourth quarter to boost sales of these well priced, high play value items before Christmas.”

Readers can see One for Fun’s latest campaign on their favourite social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram.