Industry News

“Against All Odds” – Will sound be the key to future winnings for betting and gaming brands?

Published

4 years ago

September 9, 2020

George Miller

Op-ed contribution: sound can be a powerful tool for gaming marketers

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Max De Lucia, Co-Founder and Client Director of specialist sonic branding agency DLMDD.

There are few brands and businesses across the world that haven’t been in some way affected by the current global climate. But as lockdown restrictions are eased and marketplaces begin to return to their “new normal”, betting brands and their marketers now have an even greater issue to navigate.

With momentum gathering in the UK Parliament for a “total ban” on all gambling advertising, brands need to think fast about the role they play in consumers lives and how they can communicate if traditional media channels are further plastered with red tape.

However, as many of you reading this will know, these aren’t new challenges. A ban on gambling advertising during live sport came into effect in the UK from August last year, restricting advertising within a “whistle to whistle” period beginning five minutes before the start of a match and ending five minutes after. These limitations will have already forced marketing departments to think very carefully about how to gain competitive advantage and win attention in these moments. However, and somewhat surprisingly, no brand has dominated when it comes to sound.

Think about it – I can reel off the names of every betting and gaming brand out there in the market, and you’ll instantly be able to tell me what they look like; what colour the logo is, what the slogan says and which celebs they use in their ads. But what do any of them sound like? Well, nothing.

This seems bonkers to me. Earlier this year, Marketing Week highlighted a powerful learning from IPSOS’ marketing study ‘The power of you’. Put simply, the research shows that the use of distinctive sonic cues can have 8.5x the power of visual stimuli. So why is sound so untapped across the sector?

Let’s be frank, underneath the visual brand and the corporate slogans of any betting organisation are odds and chance. You might get slightly better odds and slightly better chances by shopping around but at the end of the day, odds are odds.

As punters, we make our choices on the brands we associate with based upon how we feel about them. And music and sound offer the world’s most powerful shortcuts to human emotion if we know how to handle them right. If expertly managed, they can fulfil every part of our pleasure and reward psychologies garnering effects that can only be rivalled by good food, love and drugs.

What is particularly unique about betting and gaming is that their audiences want and demand to feel something about the brand they’re playing with. This is quite unlike most other sectors and industries. Do I want to feel something about Shell? I’m sure their Brand Director wants me to but no, quite frankly I just want to fill my car up with petrol from the nearest station to me and get the hell out of the forecourt as quickly as possible.

Conversely, emotion is at the forefront of the experience of all bettors and gamers and it’s the responsibility of the brands and their audiences to manage and control how that emotion manifests itself in a safe manner. If all parties get it right, music and sound have the ability to heighten the entire consumer experience at every moment that an audience interacts with their chosen brand.

Historically, the betting and gaming industries have looked at sound through a fairly primitive lens; famous psychological studies have highlighted the use of music and sound in slot machines that reinforce the sensation of ‘winning’ with jubilant sound effects, flashing lights and winning coins dropping down on metal surfaces.

It doesn’t take a genius to work any of that out and along with questionable morality, this doesn’t exemplify the true power of music and sound. When it’s done right, we allow music and sound into our minds. They can stay with us forever and evoke our emotions at the flick of a wrist.

In a world and an industry where the way the consumer feels is the difference between them choosing to play with brand X over brand Y, the first player in the market who can cement their identity in music and sound will have the odds sounding firmly in their favour for many more moons to come.

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Industry News

iGB L!VE announce LaunchPad, a new feature for start-ups with ‘innovation in their DNA’

Published

4 days ago

June 13, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Industry professionals attending July’s edition of iGB L!VE will have access to a vibrant new feature which will showcase ground-breaking tech and innovation courtesy of the brightest start-ups and small businesses in gaming.

The iGB L!VE LaunchPad (Pulse Stage: 18 July 16.30hrs – 18.00hrs) will feature five companies to present their innovations to a panel of judges with each presentation followed by a probing Q&A session designed to interrogate the viability and commercial prowess of each product pitch.

Introducing the new feature Portfolio Director Naomi Barton, said: “iGB L!VE is constantly evolving in order to meet the business needs of stakeholders. The research programme that we undertake with customers has consistently highlighted a shared desire to always be ahead of the curve, being the first to access the very latest innovations from the start-up community is part of what iGB L!VE 2024 will deliver.

“In addition, we want to provide a platform for new talented businesses to grow by giving them extra exposure in front of an influential C-Level audience of industry investors and influencers.

“The top five products will be hand-selected by the iGB L!VE team and invited to present from the Pulse Stage. In order to help these businesses, we are providing cash prizes of £5,000 for the winner, £2,500 for second place and £1,000 for third.”

She continued: “We will be giving the feature an authentic iGB L!VE twist with the emphasis on competitive fun. To ensure this, I am delighted to confirm that 25+ year industry veteran and non-exec Clarion Gaming Chairman Michael Caselli has agreed to be our MC and will also head a panel of judges drawn from across the iGB L!VE community of industry professionals, investors and sponsors.

“Start-ups and small businesses which have innovation in their DNA can sign up for iGB LaunchPad at igblive by the 28 June deadline.”

iGB L!VE is the home of the igaming community and the only event that connects the leading igaming affiliates, operators, tech vendors, game providers and suppliers in order to maximise performance and drive tangible business growth in the following 12-18 months. iGB L!VE, which is the fastest growing igaming event, delivers unparalleled business opportunities with attendees having free access to in excess of 300 exhibitors and sponsors occupying 21,000+ square metres of gross space, a figure which is 35% higher than in 2023.

For more information on iGB L!VE (16-19 July 2024: Expo Days 17-18 July) and to register for free visit: igblive website

Industry News

Ortak x B.F.T.H. Arena Awards 2024 Features Mr. First Ray by Endorphina

Published

4 days ago

June 13, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Ortak x B.F.T.H. Arena Awards 2024 welcomes Endorphina among other top game developers with its Mr. First Ray, a mystical slot game that captures the essence of dawn.

This year’s competition has seen an unprecedented increase in participation, receiving over 100 submissions from more than 70 developers involved in the innovative Ortak initiative. This platform not only promotes collaboration and innovation but also integrates gaming stakes with NFTs on the Bahamut blockchain, thereby broadening investment prospects in the iGaming sector.

Mr. First Ray transports players into a world where each spin can lead to magical wins and enchanting surprises, making it a standout in this year’s entries. As the event approaches, excitement mounts among industry professionals keen to explore this showcase of creativity and excellence in game development, scheduled from July 1 to 4.

Hosted by BetConstruct, the B.F.T.H. Arena Awards provides a prestigious platform for developers to exhibit their creativity and compete for a share of the substantial 3,333,000 FTN prize pool. This year, the event has broadened its scope, introducing new award categories to further celebrate innovation in gaming.

The culmination of the event will see the winners announced at the B.F.T.H. Arena x Harmony Meetup V, ensuring an exhilarating experience for all attendees.

Industry News

SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP TO PROVIDE EURO 2024 CONTENT HUBS FOR LEADING BOOKMAKERS

Published

5 days ago

June 13, 2024

Peter Tolan

SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP SUPERFEED IN-PLAY CONTENT PROVEN TO INCREASE BETTING ENGAGEMENT BY 20%

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Spotlight Sports Group (SSG), a world-leading technology, content, and media company specialising in sports betting, has partnered with both William Hill and Betfred to deliver content hubs for Euro 2024.

The upcoming international tournament provides a prime opportunity for operators to generate revenue, and Spotlight Sports Group assists in that right through industry-leading content hubs. SSG Content Hubs allow sportsbooks in any territory the chance to offer a premium and rich content experience, without the technical burden.

The end-to-end product and content solution provided by SSG includes expert editorial, data and statistics that are delivered across multiple formats and customisable for individual bookmaker websites. Designed and created in-house, the specific event hubs allow customers to provide interactive betting experiences, compatible across all devices and include live odds and add-to-bet-slip functionality.

In addition, the content hub provides a Best Bet widget that features daily accumulators and Bet Builder picks, as well as the best daily offers and enhanced odds from the bookmaker partners. Video tipping content is also available for every match, as is a scouting report for every team and every fixture, highlighting the most popular players for Bet Builder selections.

Lee Phelps, William Hill Spokesperson said: “The Euros is one of the biggest tournaments around for bettors, and having Spotlight Sports Groups content hubs, means we can provide a real experience for our customers throughout the tournament with editorial, bet prompts and data”.

Mark Hartley, Head of Sports Product at Betfred, was similarly pleased with the deal: We’re delighted to partner with SSG ahead of Euro 2024. We’re excited by the opportunities it brings to us ahead of one of our busiest periods of the year as a bookmaker.”

Sam Houlding, Spotlight Sports Group’s Managing Director of B2B, has shared his excitement at partnering with two of the UK’s leading bookmakers: “It’s great to have two of our key partners taking our content hubs for the biggest tournament of the year. Our content has a proven record of driving revenue, and as it is available in any language globally it appeals to customers all around the world”.

Spotlight Sports Group’s Content Hubs are proven to drive revenues with a rich content experience for betting audiences.