How did Virgin Mobile Australia increase store footfall using a mobile gaming app. What strategies were employed to engage Millennials in the telco market. How effective was the Game of Phones campaign in driving brand awareness and customer engagement.
Virgin Mobile’s Market Challenge and Campaign Objectives
In the fiercely competitive Australian telco market, Virgin Mobile faced a significant challenge. With only a 4% market share and budgets just one-third of their nearest competitor, the company needed an innovative strategy to stand out. Their primary objective was to increase in-store footfall by 5% during the summer period.
Why was this goal particularly important for Virgin Mobile? As a smaller operator, the brand recognized that its in-store experience was a key differentiator – the one area where they could consistently outperform larger competitors. By driving more potential customers into their stores, Virgin Mobile aimed to leverage this strength and convert foot traffic into new subscribers.
The Telco Battleground
What were the main factors driving competition in the Australian telco market?
- Price wars
- Device offerings
- Network coverage claims
With larger competitors using similar tactics and messaging across these areas, Virgin Mobile needed to find a way to break through the noise and create a unique connection with their target audience.
Understanding the Target Audience: Mobile-Mad Millennials
Virgin Mobile’s campaign focused squarely on Millennials, a demographic with some distinct characteristics:
- Highly engaged with mobile devices
- Passionate about gaming (8-11 hours per week on average)
- Tendency to “gamify” various aspects of their lives
- Disengaged from traditional telco marketing messages
How could Virgin Mobile tap into this audience’s gaming mindset? The brand recognized that standard promotions wouldn’t be enough to capture the attention of this savvy, game-oriented demographic. They needed to create an experience that aligned with the way their target audience already interacted with their mobile devices.
The Life Gaming Phenomenon
What exactly is “life gaming” in the context of Millennials? This term refers to the tendency of this generation to approach various aspects of their daily lives as if they were elements of a game. Their smartphones serve as the “remote control” for navigating a world full of challenges, quests, and rewards.
By understanding this mindset, Virgin Mobile saw an opportunity to transform the typically mundane world of telco services into something far more engaging and exciting for their target audience.
The Game of Phones: A Revolutionary Mobile Gaming Concept
Virgin Mobile’s solution was to create “Game of Phones,” Australia’s largest location-based mobile app challenge. This innovative campaign transformed cities into virtual battlegrounds where players competed for prizes worth over AU$200,000.
Key Features of the Game of Phones App
- Location-based gameplay
- Virtual prizes from the Virgin Family of brands
- Real-world exploration element
- Competitive mechanics (prize stealing)
- Unique warrior profiles for players
How did the Game of Phones work? Players would download the app and create a warrior profile. As they moved around their city, they could claim virtual “loot” by tapping on mobile icons when within 50 meters of a prize location. However, the game added an element of strategy and competition – other nearby players could steal these prizes, encouraging ongoing engagement and social interaction.
Leveraging Virgin’s Brand Assets
What made the prizes in Game of Phones particularly appealing? Virgin Mobile cleverly utilized rewards from across the Virgin Family of brands, including:
- Bottles of Virgin wine
- Virgin Active gym memberships
- Velocity Points (Virgin Australia’s frequent flyer program)
- Virgin Atlantic flights
By offering these diverse and valuable rewards, Virgin Mobile created a compelling reason for players to engage with the game consistently and visit physical store locations to claim certain prizes.
Integrated Media Strategy: Creating a Mobile Battleground
Virgin Mobile’s media strategy for Game of Phones was designed to create an all-encompassing mobile battleground. Every touchpoint, whether paid, owned, or earned, was crafted to perpetuate gameplay and keep warriors engaged in battle.
Key Elements of the Media Strategy
- Mobile-first approach: The campaign increased mobile investment to 37% (up from 12% in previous campaigns)
- Social media engagement: Real-time updates and player tracking
- Dynamic online messaging: Personalized communications to drive ongoing participation
- Radio integration: Live updates and prize announcements
- Outdoor advertising: World’s first outdoor dashboard controlling game elements
- Street team activations: Enhancing the connection between digital and physical retail spaces
How did this integrated approach benefit the campaign? By ensuring that all media touchpoints were part of the game ecosystem, Virgin Mobile created a cohesive and immersive experience for players. This strategy kept participants engaged and continually drove them back to the app and, ultimately, to Virgin Mobile stores.
Innovative Use of Technology in Game of Phones
The Game of Phones campaign showcased Virgin Mobile’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to engage their target audience. What were some of the key technological innovations that set this campaign apart?
Location-Based Gaming
At the heart of Game of Phones was its sophisticated use of location-based technology. The app utilized GPS and geofencing to create a dynamic, real-world gaming experience. How did this work in practice?
- Virtual prizes were “dropped” at specific locations across Australia
- Players received notifications when they were within 50 meters of a prize
- The app tracked player movements and interactions in real-time
This location-based approach not only made the game more engaging but also encouraged players to explore their cities and potentially visit Virgin Mobile store locations.
Real-Time Data Processing
To keep the game dynamic and exciting, Virgin Mobile implemented advanced real-time data processing capabilities. What benefits did this provide?
- Instant updates on prize locations and availability
- Live leaderboards showing top players and recent wins
- Dynamic difficulty adjustments based on player density and activity levels
By processing and responding to data in real-time, Virgin Mobile created a game that felt alive and responsive, encouraging ongoing player engagement.
Outdoor Dashboard Innovation
Perhaps one of the most innovative aspects of the campaign was the creation of the world’s first outdoor dashboard that controlled game elements. How did this unique feature enhance the Game of Phones experience?
- Allowed for real-time adjustments to prize locations and quantities
- Provided a visual representation of game activity in public spaces
- Created opportunities for spontaneous events and “flash” prize drops
This outdoor dashboard not only served as a powerful marketing tool but also demonstrated Virgin Mobile’s commitment to blending digital experiences with the physical world.
Measuring Success: Campaign Outcomes and Impact
The Game of Phones campaign was a bold move for Virgin Mobile Australia. But did it achieve its objectives? Let’s examine the key performance indicators and outcomes of this innovative marketing initiative.
Footfall Increase
The primary goal of the campaign was to increase in-store footfall by 5% during the summer period. Did Virgin Mobile meet or exceed this target?
While specific figures are not provided in the original text, the campaign’s focus on driving players to physical locations through prize redemptions and special in-store events likely contributed positively to foot traffic. Future iterations of this case study could benefit from including concrete data on store visit increases.
App Downloads and Engagement
How many people downloaded and actively played Game of Phones? Some key metrics to consider include:
- Total app downloads
- Daily active users
- Average session length
- Player retention rates
While exact figures are not provided, the description of the game as “Australia’s largest location-based mobile app challenge” suggests significant uptake and engagement among the target audience.
Brand Awareness and Perception
Beyond direct footfall, how did Game of Phones impact Virgin Mobile’s brand in the Australian market?
- Increased brand visibility among Millennials
- Positioning as an innovative, tech-savvy telco provider
- Positive associations through gamification and valuable prizes
The unique nature of the campaign likely generated significant earned media and word-of-mouth marketing, extending its reach beyond direct participants.
Prize Redemption and Customer Acquisition
What was the ultimate business impact of Game of Phones? Key metrics to consider include:
- Number of prizes claimed
- Conversion rate of players to Virgin Mobile customers
- Increase in new service sign-ups during the campaign period
While specific data is not provided, the campaign’s focus on driving engagement and store visits suggests that it likely had a positive impact on customer acquisition and sales.
Lessons Learned and Future Applications
The Game of Phones campaign offers valuable insights for marketers looking to engage Millennial audiences in highly competitive industries. What key lessons can be drawn from Virgin Mobile’s innovative approach?
Embracing Mobile-First Strategies
Virgin Mobile’s decision to place a mobile app at the heart of their campaign reflects the increasing importance of mobile-centric marketing. How can other brands apply this lesson?
- Prioritize mobile experiences in campaign planning
- Design for mobile-first, then adapt for other platforms
- Leverage unique mobile capabilities (e.g., location services, push notifications)
Gamification as an Engagement Tool
The success of Game of Phones demonstrates the power of gamification in marketing. What elements made this approach effective?
- Tapping into the target audience’s existing behaviors and preferences
- Creating a sense of competition and achievement
- Offering valuable, aspirational prizes
- Blending digital experiences with real-world exploration
Integrated Media Strategies
Virgin Mobile’s approach to creating a cohesive experience across all touchpoints offers valuable lessons. How can marketers create similarly integrated campaigns?
- Ensure all media channels support and enhance the central campaign concept
- Use real-time data to create dynamic, responsive experiences
- Bridge the gap between digital and physical interactions
Leveraging Brand Partnerships
The use of prizes from across the Virgin Family of brands added significant value to the Game of Phones campaign. How can other companies apply this strategy?
- Identify synergies within parent companies or brand portfolios
- Seek partnerships with complementary brands to enhance prize offerings
- Use cross-brand promotions to expand reach and perceived value
By applying these lessons, marketers in various industries can create engaging, effective campaigns that resonate with mobile-savvy Millennial audiences.
The Future of Location-Based Marketing and Gamification
Virgin Mobile’s Game of Phones campaign was at the forefront of location-based marketing and gamification. As technology continues to evolve, what potential future applications and trends might we see in this space?
Augmented Reality Integration
How might augmented reality (AR) enhance location-based marketing campaigns?
- Overlay digital content onto real-world environments
- Create immersive branded experiences tied to specific locations
- Gamify product discovery and trial through AR interfaces
As AR technology becomes more accessible and sophisticated, we can expect to see more campaigns that blend digital and physical realities in creative ways.
Personalization and AI
What role might artificial intelligence play in the future of gamified marketing?
- Dynamically adjust game difficulty and rewards based on individual player behavior
- Create personalized storylines and challenges tailored to each user
- Optimize prize distribution and location-based elements in real-time
AI-driven personalization could significantly enhance engagement and effectiveness of future campaigns inspired by Game of Phones.
Cross-Platform Integration
How might future campaigns expand beyond mobile to create truly omnichannel experiences?
- Integrate wearable devices for seamless, hands-free participation
- Incorporate smart home technology to extend the game into domestic spaces
- Create cross-platform challenges that span mobile, desktop, and real-world interactions
As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, marketers will have new opportunities to create interconnected brand experiences across multiple touchpoints.
Blockchain and Digital Rewards
Could blockchain technology transform how rewards are distributed in gamified marketing campaigns?
- Use cryptocurrency or branded tokens as in-game currency
- Create unique, verifiable digital assets as prizes (e.g., NFTs)
- Enhance transparency and security in prize distribution
Blockchain integration could add new layers of value and engagement to future location-based marketing initiatives.
As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see increasingly sophisticated and immersive marketing campaigns that build upon the foundation laid by innovative initiatives like Virgin Mobile’s Game of Phones. The key to success will lie in creating experiences that are not only technologically impressive but also deeply engaging and relevant to the target audience.
The Closest You Can Get to Your Consumers
Campaign Summary
As a small telco operator with just a 4 percent market share, Virgin Mobile needed to outsmart the competition in order to increase footfall into its stores. To reach mobile-obsessed young adults, Virgin Mobile created “Game of Phones,” a mobile gaming app that became Australia’s largest location-based mobile app challenge, where contestants fought to win more than AU$200,000 in prizes.
Strategy
Objective and Context:
The telco kingdom is ruled by three evils: price, device, and network coverage. In a highly competitive battleground where all opponents use the same tactics and conversations, Virgin Mobile Australia was locked into a war of attrition. As a smaller telco operator with 4 percent share (versus the nearest rival at 20 percent) and significantly lower budgets (one-third of the nearest competitor), the brand couldn’t outshout the competition.
It needed to outsmart them. The strongest weapon in the brand’s arsenal was its in-store experience; it’s the one place the brand will always win. The company set itself the challenge of increasing footfall during the summer period by 5 percent.
Target Audience:
The brand’s mobile-mad Millennial audience had one big thing in common: life gaming, where a mobile device was the remote-controlled weapon for a world of games, battles, quests, and tournaments. They played an average of eight to 11 hours every week. Their urge to take what they were already doing and make it more fun, interesting, and rewarding by turning it into a game touched every aspect of their lives. Gaming was a way of life. But telco wasn’t a game they wanted to play, as there was nothing fun about price or device.
Creative Strategy:
A regular promotion wouldn’t be enough to drive the highly gamified audience in-store — they were too smart for that. If Virgin Mobile wanted to win, it would have to play by the audience’s gaming rules.
The brand had a castle full of Virgin Family rewards at its disposal (bottles of Virgin wine, Virgin Active gym memberships, Velocity Points, and Virgin Atlantic flights), but incentives weren’t going to shift footfall. Virgin Mobile decided to turn its greatest ammunition, the Virgin Family rewards, into something worth fighting for by creating a mobile battleground that got Millennials actively battling their friends, foes, and strangers to win part of the Virgin Mobile Empire.
The idea was to ambush the category by making the people of Australia fight for Virgin Rewards, fight for telco glory, and fight for Virgin Mobile.
The media strategy was simple: create a mobile battleground where every paid, owned, and earned touchpoint perpetuated gameplay to keep the warriors engaged in battle. All assets were part of a game and part of the fuel that kept players in a constant state of combat. Assets that naturally provided real-time solutions were the perfect fit, and assets without real-time solutions underwent a radical revolution.
Execution
Overall Campaign Execution:
Placing the mobile app at the heart of the campaign and ensuring that all media were part of perpetuating mobile gameplay were significant transformations from Virgin Mobile’s previous communications approach.
Mobile Execution:
Game of Phones elevated the brand by taking a mobile-centric approach. Investments in mobile across both app development and media increased threefold during Game of Phones, pushing the total mobile investment for the campaign to 37 percent versus the previous campaign’s investment of 12 percent.
The brand ambushed the market by delivering the Virgin Mobile Game of Phones, Australia’s largest location-based mobile app challenge, where consumers fought like warriors in both the real world and an alternate reality in a bid to win virtual prizes worth more than AU$200,000. The app turned cities into battlegrounds where warriors claimed loot by tapping on the mobile icon when they came within 50 meters of a prize.
Prizes, however, could be stolen by other players located in the same vicinity.
A rally cry to download the app was deployed through social media, online video, and radio, and individuals were encouraged to create a unique warrior profile on their mobile device to join the battle. Virgin Mobile rewards became the mobile battle currency, virtually dropped across Australia for the warriors to capture and protect.
The game was kept in play through the brand’s constant communication with the warriors. Media was used to create a real-time, self-perpetuating feedback loop with players. Social and dynamic online messaging formed the foundation of the campaign, providing live and local tracking of every player and reward. Radio facilitated live updates and buzz around prizes with street teams to engage retail.
Virgin Mobile created the world’s first outdoor dashboard that controlled every outdoor panel, individually or as a group, to push game messages out to players anywhere in real time.
If a player went into a café to get coffee, the brand could send a personalized message to the panel in the café as well as an update on the battle happening around that location. This dashboard helped the brand add fuel to the mobile battle and kept players going throughout the day.
Conversation was further fueled through mobile by automatically declaring every prize stolen to those on the battlefield through Facebook and Twitter. Store footfall was generated by turning Virgin Mobile stores into safe houses, giving warriors the chance to keep their loot safe for an hour at a time while also learning more about the Virgin Mobile kingdom.
Results (including context, evaluation, and market impact)
Virgin Mobile was victorious in its battle to make it a telco worth fighting for.
Over the three weeks of game play, 14,568 warriors took refuge in the Virgin Mobile safe houses, representing a 10.8 percent increase period on period, smashing the target.
With Game of Phones as the lead promotion and no other advertising running during this period, the brand delivered an increase in its key brand metrics of “offers the best contracts” and “best devices,” up 6 and 8 percent respectively, in the month following the campaign.
The mobile app secured more than 40,000 downloads, climbing to the top 15 apps on Android within the first week. The battlefield accrued 39,245 active warriors playing 64,942 sessions. The 531 prizes were stolen 82,395 times, an average of 155 steals per prize. The game warriors amassed 12,992 social shares on Facebook and Twitter and 76,000 unique visitors to the game’s Facebook page. Total game play equated to more than five years with players traveling over 239,500 kilometers, delivering AU$2.5 million in earned media.
GMT Games – 1848: Australia
Description
Australia’s first railway company, the Sydney Railway Company, was founded in 1848. It proved ruinous for its founders.
Shortly before the opening of the first line, it was taken over by the New South Wales Government Railways. In 1852 eight privately financed railways were planned in Victoria. Three of them were established but only one of them was a success — The Melbourne and Hobson’s Railway Company which was opened in September 1854.
Many types of railways, which during the next 150 years came into being over the whole country, supported industries such as mining, sugar plantations, logging, metal works, and cement factories. For the most part, they were owned by the industrial companies themselves and were therefore called “Private Railways” in order to distinguish them from the main railways owned by the States.
1848: Australia is a semi-historical railroad game for 3 to 6 people. It is based on the game 1829 by Francis Tresham. Historical constraints have, as far as is possible, been taken into account. In other areas, history will be written anew.
1848 features the inclusion of The Bank Of England as a public company that extends loans and administers railroads that are in receivership, dealing with the different track gauges between states, and ‘The Ghan’ special train.
1848 has simple mechanisms at its base. The yellow, green, brown and grey tiles are placed on the map to form a network of routes, connecting stations together. The trains (train cards) make notional journeys from station to station, thereby earning money. The (imaginary) travellers pay for their journeys. The more and the more important the stations a train visits, the more money it earns for the company and its shareholders.
In the game, you and your fellow players will own 6 Private Companies, shares in 8 Public Companies, as well as shares in the Bank of England. The Public Companies belong to their shareholders. The player with the most shares in a company is its Director and decides what the company will do.
You will operate your companies, invest in others, buy better trains, and compete for routes. At game-end, players computer the value of their shares and add that value to their operating profits to determine their total wealth. The player with the most wealth wins.
Components:
- 1 Mounted mapboard
- 5 sheets with 100 tiles
- 9 Corporate mats
- 82 Stock Certificates
- 6 Private Company Certificates
- 30 Train cards
- 1 Priority Deal card
- 1 Pack of Play Money
- 1 Rule book
Designers: Helmut Ohley and Leonhard Orgler
Game On! Australia’s Sports Bar Finder
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Activision-Blizzard is walking out again, Australia’s game industry unionizes
Activision-Blizzard’s workers are continuing to mobilize: Following the mass-layoffs at Activision’s RavenQA over the weekend, Raven workers staged a walkout yesterday, and now they’re doing it again – joined this time by a walkout by workers at other Activision-Blizzard units, including Blizzard itself.
Today workers from Raven QA are walking out for the second day in a row. They are joined by workers from QATX, QAMN, and Blizzard QA. These workers are standing in solidarity with the statement Raven QA put forward yesterday. They are using the social media hashtag #WeAreRaven
— ABetterABK ? ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) December 7, 2021
Meanwhile, Game Workers Unite Australia has been an activist group working in Australia for some time now, serving to empower and support workers who seek to join a union. However, it’s changing roles next year to serve as an industry-wide union for the video game industry, rebranding as Game Workers Australia to offer a place for every employee a chance to unionize and organize accordingly. The current plan is for the union to kick off operations in March 2022, though there is some uncertainty built into that date.
GWUA’s official release states that this will enable the organization to help organize collective action for the people it represents to deal with discrimination, underpayment, unfair working conditions, and/or lobbying for proper agreements as necessary.
It’s a pretty big step for the organization and another move in the ongoing unionization debate across the overall industry. Whether or not an industry-wide union will has as much pull as one focused at a specific development studio remains to be seen, but it’s still forward movement.
Activision-Blizzard is considered a controversial company in the MMO and gaming space owing to a long string of scandals over the last few years, including the Blitzchung boycott, mass layoffs, labor disputes, and executive pay fiasco. In the summer of 2021, the company was sued by the state of California for fostering a work environment riddled with sexual harassment and discrimination, the disastrous corporate response to which has further compounded Blizzard’s ongoing pipeline issues and the widespread perception that its online games are in decline. As of fall 2021, multiple state and federal agencies are currently investigating the company and the industry has called for Bobby Kotick’s resignation following fresh reports on his misdeeds.
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Team USA vs Australia Exhibition Game Thread
Team USA’s Men’s basketball team will have their second friendly on Monday at 8 p.m. EST where they will play Australia. The game will be hosted at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas Nevada. It is the second of three exhibition games the team will play in Las Vegas. Argentina and Nigeria are also participating. Last Saturday, the Americans lost to the Nigerians in their first match.
The Boomers feature considerable NBA and Olympic experience and seems like a likely contender to earn a medal in Tokyo. The team includes: Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Christopher Goulding, Joshua Green, Joseph Ingles, Nicholas Kay, Jock Landale, Patrick (Patty) Mills, Duop Reath, Nathan Sobey, and Matisee Thybulle.
Team Australia after losing the Bronze medal game in 2016Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Notably missing from the roster is Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons, who has opted to focus on his own game this summer.
Andrew Bogut, a longtime Boomer, retired recently and will no longer compete for the national team.
While the Australians can’t match Team USA from an athleticism standpoint, they are well-coached and well-suited for the international game. And also, the Boomers have played together for a longer period of time than the Americans, who looked like a collection of parts last Saturday.
With Bradley Beal’s recent comments about wanting to be a defensive stopper for the team, it will be interesting to see who is matched up with. Green or Thybulle seem like reasonable bets to spend time trying to guard Beal.
The full Team USA roster includes: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Durant, Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).
Audiobook is not available | Audible.com
Evvie Drake Starts Over
A Novel
By:
Linda HolmesNarrated by:
Julia Whelan, Linda HolmesLength: 9 hrs and 6 mins
Unabridged
In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash.
Everyone in town, even her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and Evvie doesn’t correct them. Meanwhile, in New York City, Dean Tenney, former Major League pitcher and Andy’s childhood best friend, is wrestling with what miserable athletes living out their worst nightmares call the “yips”: he can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why.
3 out of 5 stars
Something made me keep listening….
By
Carolina Girl
on
10-12-19
Watch Squid Game | Netflix Official Site
1.
Red Light, Green Light
60m
Hoping to win easy money, a broke and desperate Gi-hun agrees to take part in an enigmatic game. Not long into the first round, unforeseen horrors unfold.
2. Hell
63m
Split on whether to continue or quit, the group holds a vote. But their realities in the outside world may prove to be just as unforgiving as the game.
3. The Man with the Umbrella
55m
A few players enter the next round — which promises equal doses of sweet and deadly — with hidden advantages. Meanwhile, Jun-ho sneaks his way inside.
4. Stick to the Team
56m
As alliances form among the players, no one is safe in the dorm after lights-out. The third game challenges Gi-hun’s team to think strategically.
5. A Fair World
53m
Gi-hun and his team take turns keeping guard through the night.
The masked men encounter trouble with their co-conspirators.
6. Gganbu
63m
Players pair off for the fourth game. Gi-hun grapples with a moral dilemma, Sang-woo chooses self-preservation and Sae-byeok shares her untold story.
7. VIPS
59m
The Masked Leader welcomes VIP guests to the facility for a front-row viewing of the show. In the fifth game, some players crack under pressure.
8. Front Man
33m
Ahead of the last round, distrust and disgust run deep among the finalists. Jun-ho makes a getaway, determined to expose the game’s dirty secrets.
9. One Lucky Day
56m
The final round presents another cruel test — but this time, how it ends depends on just one player. The game’s creator steps out of the shadows.
90,000 Australia is looking for thousands of volunteers for the real Squid Game
There are mountains of money at stake
Australian fans of The Squid Game will have the opportunity to play it for real. According to Lad Bible, after the success of the South Korean project, the local company organized a kind of “competition” called Squid Gamez (derived from the original name of the series – Squid Game) and will be held next year.This is reported by Economic News with a link to the Apostrophe website.
At this stage, the creators of Squid Gamez are looking for two thousand volunteers. All of them will compete with each other in four rounds of the game – 500 people in each. To participate, you just need to submit an application in your city, after which the volunteer will receive a business card with an invitation to compete for the “mountain of money”. The exact amount of the prize is still unknown.
The “competition” was based on the games shown in the series. Of course, we are not talking about survival games, which became the highlight of the “Squid Games”, but the losers will also be “eliminated” – removed from the number of players without the opportunity to take revenge.
In addition to the cash prize, which “will radically change the life of the winner”, as promised by the organizers, the best player will get the opportunity to go home in a limousine with a group of friends.
Read: Taiwan urged Australia to support its bid to join CPTPP
Preliminarily, the creators of Squid Gamez are expecting a crowd of those who wish, because the ratings of the series speak for themselves. In addition, in this case, fans of the “Squid Game” can feel like the heroes of this story without the risk of dying just on the playing field.
Meanwhile, in England, parents are asked not to show their children the Squid Game – in their free time, schoolchildren repeat dangerous games without thinking about the consequences.
90,000 No fight. Australia will host the Olympic Games for the third time – Sports
TOKYO, 21 July. / TASS /. The 2032 Summer Olympics will be held in Brisbane. This decision was made on Wednesday at the 138th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Tokyo.
On this topic
The Olympic capital was elected according to a new procedure – there were no cities’ bidding campaigns to host the Games this time. Two years ago, the IOC abandoned this tradition to keep costs down for candidates. Cities that meet strict organizational criteria are now eligible for the final vote.
The IOC Session preceded the start of the Tokyo Olympics, the elections for the capital of the 2032 Games were the main item on the agenda of the second day of the meeting, but the intrigue was not hidden – Brisbane was the only candidate to host the competition.The Australian city’s bid was supported last month by the IOC Executive Board, which largely predetermined the outcome of the vote.
80 members of the IOC took part in the elections. Brisbane was elected by a majority of votes: five voted against, three abstained, and the rest in favor. Since the vote was secret, the names of opponents of the 2032 Games in Australia could not be found out. Shortly after the vote, IOC President Thomas Bach and Queensland Prime Minister Anastacia Palashchuk signed a contract to host the Olympics.
Ready for Games
In June 2019, the IOC seriously changed the rules for the selection of venues for Olympic competitions: commissions for the winter and summer Games were created, which discuss the possibility of holding the Games with the national Olympic committees and governments of countries that have expressed a desire to host the competition, after selecting the most suitable candidates and submitting them for approval by the IOC Executive Board.
On this topic
Such a scheme reduces the costs of cities for the bid campaign and insures the IOC from the victory of candidates who require huge financial investments in the creation of the Olympic infrastructure.From this point of view, Brisbane is ideal – the city is going to use 84% of existing and temporary facilities, while the rest of the infrastructure will be built in advance, without reference to the Games.
The only drawback of this procedure is the lack of transparency in the selection process. The lack of application campaigns prevents the public from assessing the pros and cons of a particular application. After all, Germany, Indonesia, India and Qatar also showed interest in the 2032 Games.They even discussed the idea of a joint application from the DPRK and South Korea.
It is also alarming that the reform of the system was carried out by John Coates, an IOC member representing Australia. In this situation, a conflict of interest can be seen in the choice of Brisbane, but the IOC dismisses the assumptions of unfair struggle. “The Games are in good hands, we know Australia and its experience in hosting such events,” Bach said. “You are creating a legacy even before the Games. I am confident that this vote will inspire many of the younger generation to play sports.”
Australia will host the Olympic Games for the third time: in 1956 they were held in Melbourne, in 2000 – in Sydney.
One flaw
Brisbane first applied for the Games back in 1986, when it lost to Barcelona in the fight for the right to host the 1992 Olympics. “Brisbane is a well-known candidate, they started running for the Games several decades ago,” IOC Honorary Member Vitaly Smirnov said.
On this topic
Two-time Olympic champion Elena Isinbayeva, who is a member of the IOC Athletes ‘Commission, commended the Australians’ ability to host the Olympic Games. “In my opinion, an interesting Olympics could turn out,” Isinbayeva said. “I still remember my first Olympics in Sydney: everything was unusual, on a grand scale and somehow spacious. The 140,000 Olympic stadium was full then. All subsequent Olympics were at Sydney were different. ”
“Australia is a very athletic people who love sports and know how to get sick.The most inconvenient thing in this Olympics, in my opinion, will be the road. To fly far, of course, and the time difference is decent. Otherwise, everything will be great, “she said.
Summer Olympics 2024 will be hosted by Paris, 2028 – Los Angeles. Preparation for these competitions was also discussed at the IOC session.
Other elections
Prior to the election of Brisbane, an election of IOC members took place. Nicole Hevertz, known for admitting Russian athletes to participate in the Winter Games in Pyeongchang in 2018, was elected vice president of the organization on an uncontested basis.Octavian Morariu (Romania), Bernard Reisman (Brazil), Michaela Cohuangko-Jaworski (Philippines), Paul Tergat (Kenya) and Dagmavit Girmay Berhane (Ethiopia) were re-elected as members of the IOC for another four years.
On this topic
Sir Craig Reedy, former President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), has been elected Honorary Member of the IOC. His membership in the organization will expire on December 31 of this year, he will be forced to leave his post due to the achievement of the age limit for members of the IOC – on May 6, the Briton turned 80 years old.
Reedy became a member of the IOC in 1994. In the 1980s, he headed the World Badminton Federation, from 1992 to 2005 – the British Olympic Association. He is the third President of WADA, an anti-doping agency he headed from 2014 to 2019. At this time, there were the main proceedings related to the doping scandal in Russian sports.
All two days, the session was accompanied by unpleasant news about new cases of coronavirus infection among the participants of the upcoming Games in Tokyo.The trouble was not spared by Russian athletes: the test for coronavirus of the European swimming champion Ilya Borodin before flying to Tokyo from a training camp in Vladivostok gave a positive result. Earlier, due to coronavirus infection, Chilean taekwondo player Fernanda Aguirre, Dutch skateboarder Candy Jacobs, British Amber Hill, performing in clay pigeon shooting, suffered from covid Mexican baseball players Hector Velazquez and Sammy Solis.
So far, there are not many cases, but if an outbreak of infection occurs in the Olympic Village, it is possible that the Games will either have to be paused or canceled.The organizing committee of “Tokyo-2020” does not exclude such an option.
The Tokyo Olympics will start on July 23rd, and the competition will end on August 8th.
90,000 outdoor games of the peoples of Australia – Site of the teacher of physical education, teacher of additional education for children GBOU Secondary School No. 241 of St. Petersburg Orlova Natalya Anatolyevna
The main place among the games and entertainment of Australians was occupied by sports games and competitions. For sports purposes, sometimes real weapons or special types of them were used.So, for example, a small returning boomerang was used not only for hunting birds, but also simply for entertainment and exercise – it is usually called “sports”. Other types of throwing weapons served exclusively as sports equipment. The most famous of these is eit-wit in southeastern Australia: it is a spindle-shaped projectile with a long flexible condom; for him and hold with his hand, throwing. The thrown vit-vit flies a very long distance, 200-300 m, hitting the ground several times and bouncing off with a ricochet.The players try to throw it as far as possible.
The ball game was widespread. Balls were made from the bladder of an animal, from skin, from rolled hair, etc. The ball was thrown and caught with hands or kicked – whoever next.
Children spent a lot of time practicing with toy throwing weapons – small boomerangs, spears, etc.
Competition included wrestling. The methods of struggle were different. In Victoria, wrestlers grabbed each other by the shoulders, in Queensland – by the hips.On the river Batavia used a pole, but the opposing sides did not pull it towards themselves, but pushed it away from themselves. Finally, they organized mass tournaments with the use of real weapons; sometimes it was not without sacrifice, although this happened mainly only when the settlement of old scores was mixed with the game.
There were also games that were almost or completely devoid of a competitive element. This is the globally widespread rope game, undoubtedly local, and not introduced by Europeans: it is inventing various figures from a cord on the fingers of both hands, and the Australians also used their knees. * In northern Queensland, men played rope, but in most areas, children and women.animals, which contributed to their good study. There was a game that consisted of imitating different animals, depicting them with combinations of hands and fingers.
Children also played hide and seek, blind man’s buff (a blindfolded player imitates a fly and, catching one of the partners, pinches him, imitating a fly bite), and, of course, dolls. A piece of bark wrapped in grass, or just a wooden flyer, could serve as a doll for an undemanding child; the rest was supplemented by imagination.
Gambling in Australia: history and modernity
Australia is considered the most gambling country in the world for a reason – every Australian spends $ 1300 on gambling every year.At the same time, the budgets of individual states are, on average, 10% formed from the income from the gambling business. And this is not the limit.
According to available data, by the end of 2020, the revenues of operators of the Australian gambling business may exceed $ 6 billion.
Australian Landscape
It is generally accepted that Australians are the most gambling nation in the world.Australians spend up to $ 1,300 per citizen on gambling annually, the highest in the world. It should also be noted that Australia has the highest concentration of slot machines.
At the moment, more than a dozen casinos operate on the territory of the state. Australians’ gambling preferences are not homogeneous, but rather a variegated picture of online sports betting, poker, casino or slot machine fans.Tradition and habit, plus legal elements, led to a difference in the popularity of certain gambling offers.
The origin of gambling in Australia. Chronology
The first recorded event of the birth of gambling in Australia dates back to 1810.It was a race meeting that took place at Hyde Park, Sydney.
The first lottery was organized in 1880, and the first slot machines appeared in clubs and pubs in the 50s of the last century. This very moment can be considered a starting point in the history of Australian gambling.
The British instilled in the Australians the love of sports betting on horse racing.And although it is not possible to give an exact date, it is safe to say that as long as the sport exists, there will be bets in Australia.
If we compare online games with casinos and bookmaking, then it is worth noting that this game is relatively new, but the most beloved for the inhabitants of the green continent.
The emergence of the first gambling site revolutionized the industry.The first online casino was created in the 90s and has not lost its popularity since then.
Read also: Review of young brands in the online gambling market
90,041 Most Popular Gambling Activities in Australia
In land-based casinos in Australia, as a rule, they play roulette, card games – blackjack or baccarat.Clients of online casinos prefer the same games. A special place among the gambling preferences of Australians is occupied by the game of dice. In addition, there are poker, lotteries and sports betting, which are ranked 5th, 6th and 7th respectively.
Microgaming, founded back in 1994 and becoming the first company to offer gambling services in Australia, still exists today.During its operation, it has played an important role in developing the technologies required for financial systems that process player transactions.
In addition to traditional gambling entertainment, the Australians also came up with outlandish ones. For example, games such as running crabs, camels or guinea pigs are popular.However, despite the love of citizens, such “competitions” remained illegal.
Australian Token is the national Australian gambling game that requires only two coins. The point of the game is to guess which side each coin will fall on.There is even a special day when you can play enough of the Australian toss in the pubs and clubs of the country – April 25.
See also: Gambling in Latvia: benefit or harm for the state?
Australia’s Top 5 Land-Based Casinos:
1. Adelaide Casino.
2.Casino Canberra.
3. Country Club Casino.
4. Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex.
5. Crown Perth.
How much gambling brings to the treasury
Government income from gambling in Australia varies from state to state, but the average is 10% of the budget.To the treasury of the state of Victoria, where gambling is most popular, the gambling business brings in 13% of profits annually. In contrast, gambling royalties account for only 4% of income in Western Australia. This is due to the fact that many types of gambling are still prohibited here. Player winnings are not taxed in Australia.
Operators of gambling are forced to follow the legislation of each particular state, since the taxation in them is different.Tax rates for different types of gambling also vary. Gambling operators pay fees upon obtaining a license, as well as taxes on turnover, player loss and net income.
Read also: Analysis of the situation in the global gambling
90,041 Operator income
The Stars Group (the Austrian business groups CrownBet and William Hill Australia) received $ 13.5 million in adjusted profit and $ 46.8 million in gross profit in the published report for the second quarter.
Also, according to the research company IBISWorld, by 2020 the profit from the gambling business in Australia may exceed $ 6 billion. However, the favorable forecast will be realized only if three new casinos are opened.
As a reminder, Australian horse racing enthusiasts on illegal sites will face harsher penalties.
Read also: Analysis of the global online gambling market for March 2018
Read also : From A to Z: gambling industry terminology
90,000 A selection of material on the topic “Travel to Australia”
A selection of material on familiarizing older preschool children with the world around them on the topic “Travel to Australia”
Artist: Davydova Svetlana Alekseevna.
Lesson objectives:
To acquaint children with the geographical location, nature and culture of Australia.
Exercise children in drawing and applique work.
Develop general and fine motor skills.
Improve visual skills and abilities.
Foster curiosity.
Work progress:
Australia is the world’s largest island and the smallest continent. (Show on the map). Its entire territory is occupied by one country – Australia.This is what the flag of this country looks like. (Picture display).
The capital of Australia is the city of Canberra. And the oldest and largest city in Australia is Sydney. This city is famous for its beautiful bridge and opera house. (Picture display).
Australia has the least amount of rainfall in the world per year.
Exercise “Show Australia on the Map”
The people of Australia are friendly and welcoming. These are mainly migrants from other countries. They speak English and dress like you and me.
The indigenous people of Australia are Aboriginal. (Picture display). Before the European settlers arrived, only Aboriginal people lived in Australia. Aboriginal clothing is unusual. This is a loincloth. Aborigines paint all other places with bright colors and decorate themselves with beads from plant seeds, shells
(Picture display).
Painting with children’s makeup “Australian Aborigines”
Children paint each other with white stripes on their faces.
This is how the Australian aborigines draw pictures and patterns in an interesting way.(Picture display). The drawing consists of dots.
Drawing “Australian pointillism”
Children use dots drawn with cotton swabs to paint over the image.
Due to the hot, dry climate, the Aborigines had to come up with different ways to get water. For example, from the roots of trees, dew on the leaves and even from the belly of frogs.
Experimental and research activity “How to get drinking water from salt water?”
And we will try to get drinking water from salt water.Pour water together in a deep bowl, add two tablespoons of salt there, stir until the salt dissolves. Place rinsed pebbles on the bottom of an empty plastic glass so that it does not float, but its edges should be higher than the water level in the basin. Stretch the film from above, tying it around the pelvis. Press the plastic over the center of the glass and place another pebble in the recess. Place the basin in the sun. After a few hours, clean unsalted drinking water will accumulate in the glass. The explanation is simple: water begins to evaporate in the sun, condensate settles on the film and flows into an empty glass.
This weapon – the boomerang was originally a throwing weapon of the aborigines of Australia, it was made of hard wood in the shape of a flat sickle and was used for hunting and, less often, as a military weapon. The natives threw boomerangs and competed in agility in combat games. If it was launched in a certain way, if it did not meet obstacles, it would come back. Now the boomerang is not used as a military weapon, it is rarely used for hunting, and in Australia it is one of the souvenirs sold in stores.Plus, boomerang throwing is a favorite game on the continent.
Making a boomerang
Boomerang is cut out of cardboard and decorated with drawings or stickers.
200 years ago, English laws were very harsh. The defendant could be sentenced to death for stealing a shirt or a loaf of bread. But the convict was given life if he agreed to go to hard labor in Australia. Convicts were sent there on ships and they had to work hard. Shackled in a common chain, with a heavy cannonball on their legs, they cleared land, broke stones, built roads and cultivated crops.
Fauna of Australia
The fauna of Australia is unique. Only here there are many animals that cannot be found anywhere else, on any other continent.
There are no monkeys at all, and there is only one predator – the wild dingo dog. (Picture display). In Australia, the most ancient animals have survived to this day – the echidna and the platypus. It is here that marsupials live: kangaroo, koala, possum, wombat.
Carry the cubs in the bag outdoor game
Children connect the hands of their downcast hands in a lock, into which a soft toy is planted.Then the child with the toy goes through the obstacle course.
Both adults and children know the symbol of the country – the most popular animal is the kangaroo. (Picture display). There are a lot of kangaroos in this country. At night, attracted by the headlights, kangaroos go out onto the road and jump under the wheels of cars. This country even has a “kangaroo” road sign that warns drivers of the danger. In Australia, kangaroos are small, but there are also very large ones – up to three meters.
Outdoor game “Kangaroo”
Participants pinch the balls between knees or ankles.
Holding the ball with your feet, you need to race from one line to another. If the ball jumps out, the participant must immediately stop, pick it up and, again holding the ball with his feet, start jumping from the place of the forced stop.
The northern part of Australia is teeming with crocodiles. (Picture display). The most bloodthirsty animals – alligators simply eat people they come across. Adults can weigh up to a ton and be 3-4 meters in length.
Echidna and Platypus
These are the only mammals in the world that lay eggs.
The platypus has webbed feet and a duck beak. When the first researchers saw the platypus, they thought that these were parts of different animals joined together, like in a fairy tale.
Crocodile molding
Marsupial koala bear. (Picture display). Very cute, looks like a teddy bear. The koala lives in eucalyptus groves. Spends all the time in the trees. He does not drink water, because he eats eucalyptus leaves, and their juice is enough for him.Koalas do not recognize any other food.
Coloring the picture “Koala”
Sharks are found off the coast of the Australian continent, but they are not dangerous if not provoked. Sharks never attack first, they are not conflicting creatures. (Picture display).
In local zoos, you can find an animal called a wombat. (Picture display). This indigenous inhabitant of the continent is a little guinea pig.
There is an animal in Australia called the Tasmanian devil, very reminiscent of the French bulldog.(Picture display).
Australian birds
Unusual, colorful birds live in Australia.
Ostrich Emu. The bird is about two meters high, does not fly. But he runs very fast. Lives in large herds that constantly move in search of food and water. The female emu lays large green eggs, but the male is engaged in incubation.
Cassowary is a bird, as tall as a man. She cannot fly, so she lives on the ground. It feeds on cassowary berries and plant roots.He knows how to stand up for himself – kicks simultaneously with both legs, armed with sharp spurs.
Cockatoo is an Australian parrot that is also known in other countries as poultry. He is very sociable and lives in numerous flocks.
Reed toads are one of the favorite pets of Australian children.
The longest fence in the world was built in Australia. (Picture display). It was built in order to fence off sheep from wild dingo dogs, of which there are a lot on the continent.And there are three times more sheep than people in Australia.
Can you build a long fence?
Construction-constructive game “Long fence”
Children are invited to build a long fence from a large number of building material parts.
Great Barrier Reef – a hail of coral reefs and islands.
The largest coral reef. (Picture display). It is so large that it can be seen even from the moon. Reef corals are formed from the skeletons of tiny polyp organisms.The Great Barrier Reef has been growing for thousands of years and continues to grow. Some corals grow hard, sharp and white. Other corals are soft, porous and brightly colored.
Thousands of sea creatures live among the corals. In addition to fish, you can see here crabs, worm-like mollusks, sea stars. Among the inhabitants of the large barrier reef, you can see scary-looking predators – octopuses, barracuda (sea pike), reef sharks, poisonous sea urchins and jellyfish.
Visual activities “Corals and reefs”
Children draw corals on a common sheet of Whatman paper, and then glue the carved fish.
Australian Green Puzzle
A large leaf is being torn into pieces. Each player receives one. After the first one puts his fragment on the ground. Other players must attach the rest of the pieces to it so that the whole sheet is folded.
Australian cuisine
People who moved to Australia from all over the world brought their culinary customs and favorite dishes. Nowadays, in restaurants and cafes you can taste food of real aborigines – kangaroo meat baked on coals, crocodile meat and possum meat.Seafood dishes are prepared all along the coast. Australia is famous for its unusually aromatic juices of tropical fruits.
New Year
New Year in Australia begins on January 1, at which time it is hot there, so Australians celebrate the holiday on the beaches. Santa Claus appears in a bathing suit. He rushes across the sea on a special board – a surf. Children open presents and flop into the water.
Download a selection of materials to familiarize children with the world around them on the topic “Travel to Australia”
90,000 Visual didactic game MEMO “Australia” is intended for older children
Introduction: Visual didactic game MEMO “Australia” is intended for older children from 4 to 7 years old.
Annotation: The game is a set of cards depicting animals and species of Australia, each of which is duplicated exactly 1 time. This game will allow preschoolers to form elementary ideas about Australia, find out what some of its symbols look like in the form of attractions and animals, and will also strengthen the ability of children to carry out elementary analysis. The game is aimed at developing visual attention and memory.
Playing in groups, pairs and individually.
Goal: to collect the maximum number of paired cards.
Tasks:
NGO “Cognitive Development”
1. To enrich and consolidate knowledge about the world around.
2. To strengthen the ability of children to generalize the knowledge gained.
3. Consolidation of knowledge about Australia and its nature.
4. Develop visual perception, attention to detail.
NGO “Social and communicative development
1.Continue to develop the ability to communicate and interact with peers.
2. Foster goodwill and friendly relationships.
3. To help in the development of vocabulary when communicating during the game.
Contents of the game: Laminated cards (50 pieces) depicting animals and some of the main attractions of Australia, as well as a brief educational information.
Gameplay:
- You want to shuffle the cards and lay them face up.Children remember the location of paired cards, after which they need to turn them upside down.
- The youngest player starts the game.
- Then the cards are turned over. If:
- The cards have matched – the player takes them for himself and puts them side by side.
- The cards do not match – the cards are turned over and the move is passed to another player.
The player with the maximum number of paired cards wins.
Game complication:
- During the game, you can ask the child to tell / read aloud information from the certificate about an open attraction or animal;
- From time to time, the presenter can change the location of individual pictures among themselves;
- The game can start immediately, face down;
- The game can be played for a while – how many pictures were opened, so many are counted at the end of the timer.
90,000 Australia joins the diplomatic boycott of the Olympic Games in China – RBK
Photo: Carlos Garcia Rawlins / Reuters
Australia joins U.S.-announced diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games.This was stated by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Australian government officials will not travel to China for these games. Nevertheless, there will be Australian athletes, ”he said.
At the same time, Morrison pointed to China’s human rights violations in Xinjiang province, and also drew attention to China’s trade sanctions against Australia.
China calls US boycott of Olympic Games “political manipulation”
On December 6, the United States announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, implying that officials would not travel to the Games.
