Game Show America Blog

Greetings and Salutations!

As 2009 winds down (I’ll recap 2009 in my next post), we are looking ahead to an exciting 2010.

GSA has a number of repeat clients that have planning their 2010 events - Southern Tire Mart, The Texas Rangers, and Sussek Machine have already put the wheels in motion and secured dates for their events.  It will be our fifth year with Southern Tire Mart, our sixth year with The Texas Rangers, and our 14th year with Sussek Machine.

A little GSA trivia: Sussek Machine was our very first client back in 1996, and has brought in GSA every year for their holiday party.  A big Thank You goes out to Sussek Machine four 14 awesome years of events!

So…what’s new at GSA for 2010?  The first thing you may have noticed is the logo on our homepage.  It’s still our circle logo with the three question marks, but it’s got a new slogan underneath it…”the games you want.”  The reason for this change is to let everyone know that GSA has they games you want for your events, whether it’s something you’ve seen on television or something completely original.  When it comes to game shows…if you want it, GSA has got it.

A big addition to GSA is the expansion of our Development Department.  GSA has brought on Dan Berger as GSA’s VP of Development.  Dan’s background in game show development, electronics, animation, and graphic design have already played a critical role in creating some exciting new game shows for our clients.  Dan is currently working on a new television project that is being optioned for MyFamilyTV.

On the corporate side, GSA has given two our our signature shows a make-over.  In our Quest for the Best game, we have changed the game play to incorporate the team scores from the audience response part of the game to carry over to the finale by adding video scoring to the Finale.  It completely changes the dynamic of the game, allowing for a much more competitive game.

We have also created a more economical version of our Squares Light game show.  We have upgraded our LED light panels to 46″ LCD video screens.  Using this new technology, the printing of the celebrity names on foam core signage is no longer necessary.  Instead, the celebrity names are displayed at the top of each monitor, with the X or O displayed underneath.  This new system also allows for custom graphics to be displayed on the video screens for advertising and/or branding opportunities.  Utilizing risers instead of the full 18′ grid, the Squares Light game show can fit into smaller ballrooms and conference centers.  It also works with smaller budgets too.  Take a look at the photo below for examples of the screens.

GSA is currently working on two new game shows for television, and four new game shows for casino promotions.  I will post more on our TV work as things develop.  As for the casino promotions, these will be interactive games that can be used as floor promotions and/or live shows.  You can find more information about these game shows on our GSA Casino Promotions website (www.gsapromo.com).

That’s all for now!  Until next time, keep on playing!!!

Matthew King, President
Game Show America, LLC

Greetings and Salutations Everyone!

I thought it was time to feature some of our most popular game shows in our Blog.  There are so many different types of game shows out there - Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, The Price Is Right, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Whammy, and so on.  The question becomes, what game shows work best game shows for corporate events?  The answer to this question lies in finding out what you as the company want to accomplish.

The first thing we need to know is:  Is your event strictly educational, is it just for entertainment, or is it a combination of both?  Next, how many people do you wish to involve in the game (just a few people or the entire group)?  Finally, if you would like your company content included in the game show, what type of content it is?  Does your content contain a lot of different topics, with a number of questions for each topic?  Does your content contain some topics that have multiple pieces to it?  Do you have multiple presenters who are specialists in different areas, perhaps doing a Q & A panel? These elements will help identify the best possible game show for your event.

Corporate Feud is the best option when you have questions that have multiple answers.  For example:  “What is one of the top qualities of an effective manager?”  Answers would be:  Leader, Role Model, Fair, Honest, etc.  You can have different departments play against each other, with the winners advancing to semi-final, and championship rounds.  Corporate Feud is a recognizable game show format, allowing a number of people to participate in the game.  This game show can also be all-inclusive by utilizing our wireless audience response keypads.  The participants with the highest scores comprise the Corporate Feud teams.

Quest for the Best is the best option when you have different topics with a number of questions for each topic.  This game show was designed to include your entire group. The first part of the game uses the keypads for a series of multiple choice questions.  The group is divided into teams (most often there are 5 or 6 teams).  At the end of the multiple choice questions, the top scoring individuals from each team advance to the finale.   The respective team scores from the audience response are what each team starts with.  The questions in the finale are verbal, single answer questions.  The finale is played elimination style, and after a series of three rounds, the last player/team standing wins the game.

GSA Squares (also known as Tic Tac Show) is the best option when you have a number of presenters, or are considering a panel discussion.  This game is different than the others in that it is scripted.  Each “celebrity” in each square has specific questions just for that person.  The scripting includes the question, a funny answer, and a serious answer.  If the game has an educational focus, the celebrity can provide additional commentary on the topic.  If the game is more for entertainment, there can be some banter between the contestants and the celebrities after each question.

Each of these games has been designed to include as many people as possible, and cover your content in a fun and interactive way.  Because so many people identify with game shows, the takeaway from these game shows is the retention that your attendees walk away with.  My theory with game shows is…if you get an answer correct, you’ll always remember it - but if you get an answer wrong, no one will let you forget!

I encourage you to contact us to discuss which of these game shows will best meet your needs for your event.  All three of these shows have recently gotten a makeover, allowing GSA to provide you with the best show possible.

One last thing…on our homepage, we now have a link to the GSA Newswire.  The Newswire contains the latest GSA announcements that have yet to make it into the GSA Blog.

Thanks again for reading…and until next time…keep on playing!

Matthew