Fico enters mobile app business
Following its establishment in commercial real estate, Fico Group of the Srichawala family has now embarked on the mobile game application business.
The group’s HBD Connect Co was set up as a mobile app developer with 2 million baht registered capital, and recently the company launched its first mobile app, called “Birthday Play Now”.
“We always look for opportunities to enter technology related services, which have low upfront investments and good margins,” said Pakorn Thienthong, managing director of HBD Connect.
Starting with textile trading, Fico has expanded into businesses such as real estate, luxury retail, manufacturing and trading, food and beverage, and hospitality.
The one-year-old HBD Connect was founded to lead mobile application development for Fico’s affiliates as well.
Aimed at teenagers and first-time employees, its first mobile game was inspired by the special occasion of birthdays. “Birthday Play Now” requires players to register their birthdays and then lets players take part in quizzes on the date and day of their birthday every month.
For example, if a player was born on the 14th of a month which happened to be a Wednesday, he/she can play the game every Wednesday and on the 14th of every month. The player who answers the quiz questions first will receive a gift. Winners can pick up their prizes at retail shops partnered with Fico, or have it delivered to their homes. The value of the rewards range from 10,000 to 50,000 baht.
HBD Connect’s revenue comes from the games’ sponsorship and advertising partners such as COL Co Plc, the operator of Central Online, which get brand engagement with targeted users.
It will hold discussions with other potential sponsors such as banks about having the brand tie-ins with the games, raising brand awareness through interaction with the digital generation. It also has a revenue-sharing deal with Advanced Info Service Plc to promote the games among AIS subscribers.
Gamers can play some games for free and collect digital coins to play paid quiz games that lets them win prizes, or they can buy coins online to play.