Launched in Dubai in 2001, The Entertainer has been saving people money with a huge range of two-for-one offers in a number of different countries. The book and app were introduced to South Africa four years ago in Cape Town with Jo’burg and Durban following suit a couple of years afterwards.
For those that have been living behind a rock and haven’t heard about The Entertainer yet. It’s a book (or app) full of incentives for consumers, from boutique cafes to grand hotels, all offering two-for-one deals. Just to give an example: The Cape Town book/app offers over R800,000 in savings across three categories, namely leisure, travel and restaurants.
We’ve been using the book for the past few years and can’t get enough of it. Once you Entertain, you never go back! Donna Benton, the CEO of The Entertainer, was in Cape Town recently and gave me the chance to ask her a couple of questions. Her success story is simply amazing creating a successful multi-national company in just a couple of years.
P.S.: We still have a competition running giving away a few apps of The Entertainer. Check our “Win” tab in the menu above for more details.
What are some of the challenges that you faced when launching the Entertainer in Dubai?
When I started the Entertainer back in 2001, I was the only employee. I handled all the work myself, from merchant sign-ups and advertising, to printing and distribution. I even went door to door selling books that first year. One of the most challenging aspects was learning all the legalities of trade and business in the UAE. I also had to convince merchants to participate – and after bringing out the books I had to get customers to buy them as well! Customers felt like it was too good to be true, because our offers were valid to use on weekends and promised great value. However I look back at all those challenges and I am proud and happy that we have come a long way from what we were when we began. Of course, as the business grows, we face more challenges along the way but we also have a great team and find our way around any obstacles in our way.
Did you notice similar or different challenges when launching the Entertainer in South Africa? What makes South Africa different to the other countries where the Entertainer is available?
We entered the South African market in January 2013 when we launched the Entertainer Cape Town 2013. Since then there’s been no looking back and we launched in Johannesburg in November 2013 along with the App and then we have just added the Entertainer Durban this year, By the time we expanded into South Africa we were already quite a strong team so it was different from launching the product for the first time ever. However, being a new market for us, we had to work hard to get the word out and also to sign up the best merchants to ensure that we had a quality product. South Africa is such a great country and there’s so much to explore – for both residents and tourists. So we work hard to make sure that we give our customers offers for the best experiences in the region.
You can now purchase the Entertainer in Cape Town, Jo’burg & Pretoria and Durban. What has the response been like since the launch a few years ago?
We’ve seen a tremendous growth in the South African market which is why we were able to grow from one destination to three in such a short span of time. The Buy One Get One Free concept has caught on really well in the region. Our products allow people find interesting things to do and places to be in South Africa so it’s equally popular among tourists and residents.
Will we see the Entertainer popping up in other cities around South Africa soon?
We’ve launched three products in three years so right now our focus is in refining and expanding these three products. We spend time really getting to know our merchants and ensuring we have quality partners in our products. Plus reaching out to our customers is a priority now. We are exploring marketing partnerships and brand exposure in the region and working on enhancing our current offering so expanding is not a top priority as of now.
Were restaurants always the main focus of the Entertainer?
The idea for the Entertainer was born when I saw so many restaurants in Dubai that had no incentive to offer customers. However, when I actually started putting together the products, I realised that there were so many other attractions and leisure outlets that needed a platform to draw customers and I included them in the Entertainer. While restaurants are a big part of the Entertainer, I would not limit our scope to just that. We have activities, spas, beauty, sports, leisure and a lot more in our products. Ultimately, the Entertainer is about a lifestyle and we provide options for every aspect of that.
Have you received any feedback directly from restaurants on how the Entertainer has benefited them?
Of course! Our merchants are always happy about the increased footfall our products drive to their outlets. A lot of new restaurants even come directly to us to be included in the Entertainer because they have heard of how effective it is as an advertising tool. Our merchants re-sign each year because they know the value that our products give them. As well as footfall and revenue, they also get exposure and their inclusion in the product drives word of mouth marketing much more effectively than other platforms. With our App we can now see how many offers are being redeemed so we make sure to check that our merchants are enjoying redemptions from customers.
What makes the Entertainer different to a coupon or voucher book?
Our offering is very simple and therefore easy to understand. All our offers are Buy One Get One Free – there are no smaller discounts or hidden terms and conditions. They are valid 7 days a weeks (excluding public holidays) and have few restrictions. Plus the quality and value customers receive is extremely high. Our merchants are hand-selected by our team to ensure that we have only the best outlets in our products. All of this makes us stand out from other regular coupon books. When you buy an Entertainer product, you know for sure that you’re getting unbeatable value at quality outlets you will enjoy.
What are your goals for growing the brand in South Africa?
As I mentioned earlier, we are looking deeper into our existing products and seeing how we can make them better. Also, we have a lot of exciting partnerships we are negotiating for brand awareness in the region. We have invested more in the market with our new offices here. We are also growing the team here and adding more people to our offices.
Which is your favourite category: Restaurants & Bars, Leisure or Travel?
That’s almost impossible to answer! I use all of these offers wherever I am. So when I am on holiday or travelling for work, I make my hotel bookings with the Entertainer Travel – and then explore the best places to dine out and have fun with the other offers. Whenever I have meetings with clients or just want to go out for a nice meal I use the restaurant and bar offers. Not forgetting some of my favourite spa and beauty offers – everyone needs a little pampering now and then! So I would have to say that every single category in our products qualify as my favourite!
Do you use the App or do you prefer the book?
I have a strong emotional attachment to the book because that’s how I started out. However I use the App because it’s so simple to carry around and it’s the most hassle free way to use the offers. Usually if I’m in a mall I use the location-based search and find an outlet close to me through the App. Also, I never forget my offers because my phone is always with me. One of my favourite things about using the App is that I can see how much I’ve saved using Entertainer offers and that’s always a motivation for me because it reminds me that I am delivering on my promise of unbeatable value for my merchants and customers.
How long are you still staying in South Africa? Where are you off to next?
Unfortunately this trip has just been for a few days and I am about to head back to Dubai. But I always love to visit South Africa and will be back soon.
