Investment Frenzi is a mobile platform designed to gamify the shopping experience for millennials, a demographic they claim is increasingly resistant to traditional advertising. By replacing standard banners with 'play' buttons that lead to mini-games and rewards, the company aims to bridge the gap between the £340bn UK retail market and the fast-growing gaming sector. The deck reveals a company in its infancy, reporting 1,500 downloads and £4,723 in generated sales over its first four months. While the deck provides a clear look at their self-service brand portal and a detailed 12-month spen…
Key takeaways
- The company targets the 22 million millennials in the UK, citing a 500% higher advertising spend required to reach them compared to other generations (Slide 2).
- The core product replaces traditional ads with gamified 'Play' buttons that offer hidden rewards to users (Slide 3).
- Frenzi provides a self-service administration tool for brands to manage budgets, targeting, and geolocation (Slide 5).
- Early traction metrics show 1.5k downloads and a 68% click-through rate, though this resulted in only 73 unique users converting (Slide 7).
- The company previously raised £150,000 at a £1M post-money valuation and is seeking an additional £350,000 in a pre-seed round (Slide 8).
- The proposed use of funds allocates 40% to marketing and 30% to product development (Slide 8).
- A detailed 12-month runway chart breaks down £150,000 in spending across specific tasks like UI/UX design and viral loops (Slide 10).
- The deck omits a team slide, leaving the founders' expertise and execution capabilities unverified.
Executive Summary: Gamifying the Ad-Block Generation
Investment Frenzi enters the market with a premise that has become a staple of the mobile era: traditional advertising is broken, especially for millennials. The deck, dated around 2016 based on the source listing and Slide 10, positions 'fun' as the primary bridge between retail brands and a cynical consumer base. With a focus on the UK market, the company attempts to justify a £350,000 pre-seed round by showcasing high engagement rates and a functional brand-facing backend.
Slide 1: Title and Branding
The cover slide introduces the company name 'Frenzi' accompanied by a logo that combines a shopping cart with a smiley face. The tagline 'SHOPPING MADE FUN' establishes the core value proposition immediately. The orange and white color palette is energetic, fitting the 'Frenzi' brand name.
Slide 2: The Millennial Pain Point
This slide defines the target market: 22 million millennials in the UK aged 15-35. It uses two significant data points to establish urgency: a 500% higher spend on advertising to millennials versus other generations and a 70% 'Banner Blindness' rate. The slide effectively argues that current methods are inefficient and expensive, citing 'Low Click-Thru Rates' and an 'Always on the go' lifestyle as the primary hurdles for retailers.
Slide 3: The Painkiller - Recommendation
Frenzi introduces its solution as 'The Painkiller.' The slide features a mobile mockup showing a feed of brands like Office, Bulldog, and eBay. Instead of 'Buy' buttons, each listing has a 'PLAY' button. The text claims this provides a 'gamified feel' that makes the content more clickable. It explicitly states a move away from 'non-intrusive ads' (likely a typo intended to mean 'intrusive ads') toward games and rewards.
Slide 4: The Painkiller - Discovery
Continuing the solution walkthrough, this slide shows the result of the gamification. A user 'wins' a reward, in this case, a '25% Off First Purchase' for a t-shirt. The slide emphasizes that users win 'actual $$$' unlike other games, directly linking gameplay to retail conversion. The interface includes 'Share it!' and 'Go to Basket' buttons, suggesting a social and transactional loop.
Slide 5: Brand Control and Self-Service
To appeal to the supply side of the marketplace, Frenzi showcases its administration portal. The slide features a screenshot of the 'Add Mini Game' interface. It lists features such as content creation, targeting selection, budget setting, voucher code inclusion, geolocation, and expiration dates. This is a crucial slide for demonstrating that the platform is a scalable SaaS-style tool rather than a manual agency service.
Slide 6: Market Opportunity
The deck uses a Venn diagram to show the intersection of the £340bn UK Retail market and the £4.2bn Gaming industry. It notes that the retail industry contributes 5% to the UK economy, while the gaming industry is growing at 22% annually. The slide also mentions that their current focus is 'just London,' with plans to expand to global hubs like New York and Hong Kong, though no specific strategy for this expansion is provided.
Slide 7: Traction and Metrics
This is the most data-dense slide in the deck, covering the first four months of operation. Key figures include:
Downloads: 1.5K · Brands on Board: 227 · Users Click-Thru Rate: 68% · Conversion Rate: 7% (from 73 unique users) · Sessions Per Month: 5,126 · Avg Time Spent on App: 2:05 · Sales Generated: £4,723
While the download numbers are modest, the 68% CTR and 2-minute average session time suggest high engagement among the small initial user base.
Slide 8: Growth Plan and Funding Ask
Frenzi discloses its financial history and current needs. They previously completed an Angel Round of £150,000 at a £1M post-money valuation. They are now seeking £350,000. The use of funds is split: 40% for Marketing, 30% for Product Development, and 30% for Set up, admin, and operations. The 'Next Steps' are somewhat generic, focusing on 'identifying core market' and 'improving conversion rates.'
Slide 9: Appendix Divider
A simple transition slide utilizing the brand colors and logo to separate the main pitch from supplemental data.
Slide 10: The 12-Month Runway
The final slide provided is a detailed breakdown of how the initial £150,000 was or will be spent across 2016. It categorizes costs into Product Development (UI/UX, Geolocation, Viral Loops, etc.) and Admin & Operations (Software Dev, Branding, Business Development). The transparency here is high, showing exactly how much capital is allocated to specific technical tasks, such as £30,000 for 'Game Development' and £15,000 for 'Conversion Tools.'
What Investment Frenzi Does Well
The deck is visually consistent and avoids the 'wall of text' trap common in early-stage pitches. By focusing on a specific demographic (Millennials) and a specific problem (Banner Blindness), the founders create a clear narrative arc. The inclusion of the brand-facing backend (Slide 5) is a strong move, as it proves the product is more than just a consumer-facing mockup; it is a functional platform for advertisers. Furthermore, the traction slide (Slide 7) provides honest, if modest, numbers. Reporting only 73 unique user conversions shows a level of transparency that can build trust with investors, rather than trying to hide small numbers behind vague percentages.
What is Missing from the Deck
The most glaring omission in this 10-slide sequence is the Team Slide . In a pre-seed round, investors are primarily betting on the founders' ability to execute. Without knowing if the team has a background in retail, gaming, or ad-tech, the risk profile remains high. Additionally, there is no Competitor Analysis . In 2016, the 'gamified shopping' space was already becoming crowded with apps like Shopkick or various loyalty platforms. Failing to address how Frenzi differs from these incumbents is a missed opportunity. Finally, the Business Model is only implied. While we see brands can set budgets, the deck does not explicitly state if Frenzi takes a commission on sales, a flat fee per game play, or a SaaS subscription fee for the portal.
Founder's Guide: What to Copy and What to Avoid
Copy the Runway Detail: Slide 10 is an excellent example of how to show an investor you have a plan for their capital. Breaking down the 'Use of Funds' into specific quarterly tasks and pound amounts demonstrates operational maturity. Copy the Problem/Solution Link: The transition from the 'Pain' of banner blindness to the 'Painkiller' of gamified discovery is a classic, effective pitch structure that clearly defines the product's utility.
Avoid Omitting the Team: Never send a deck without a team slide. Even if the founders are first-timers, highlighting relevant skills or advisors is essential. Avoid Vague Expansion Claims: Slide 6 claims the company will expand to 'every major city of the world.' Without a 'How' or a 'When,' this comes across as empty hyperbole. It is better to show a deep understanding of one market (London) and a logical step-by-step plan for the next, rather than listing six global metropolises without context.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary problem Investment Frenzi aims to solve?
- According to Slide 2, the primary problem is 'Banner Blindness' and low click-through rates among millennials (ages 15-35). The deck claims that reaching this demographic costs 500% more in advertising spend than other generations, necessitating a new, non-intrusive way to engage them through gamification.
- How does the platform generate revenue for brands?
- The platform acts as a discovery and conversion tool. Slide 4 shows that when users win a mini-game, they receive 'actual $$$' rewards, such as a 25% discount on a purchase. Slide 7 reports that in its first four months, the app generated £4,723 in sales for its 227 onboarded brands.
- What are the specific terms of the funding round mentioned?
- Slide 8 states that the company completed an initial Angel Round of £150,000 at a £1M post-money valuation. At the time of the deck, they were 'undergoing' a Pre-Seed Round to raise an additional £350,000.
- What does the 'Self-Service Tool' for brands include?
- As shown on Slide 5, the administration portal allows brands to create content, select targeting, set budgets, include voucher codes, use geolocation, and set expiration dates for their campaigns, giving them full control over their presence on the app.
- Is there a clear roadmap for international expansion?
- Slide 6 indicates an ambition to expand beyond London to 'every major city of the world,' specifically listing New York, Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Sydney, and Hong Kong. However, the deck does not provide a specific timeline or logistical plan for these international launches.
