A leader in providing expert solutions and strategic advisory in the global gaming industry, SCCG Management is advancing steadily in the sector with various partnerships, and offering high-quality tools and materials.
Regarding its latest agreements, SCCG Management has closed deals with Verano.AI (a pioneer in artificial intelligence technology), and GroundLevel Insights (an innovative analytics company which specializes in using its proprietary AI platform to track the physical movement of consumers). Moreover, SCCG Management was a sponsor of the Thunder Fight Center in São Paulo, Brazil’s premier martial arts events venue. SCCG branding was prominently featured in the octagon throughout the fight with the debut of Versus FC, an MMA league team.
NEW RESEARCH ON BRAND AMBASSADORS AND INFLUENCERS
As if this work together with other companies were not enough, SCCG Management continues to develop very interesting reports on various topics related to the dynamics of the world of gambling. Its eleventh research brief was a Primer on Brands and Influencers. This document provides an extensive overview of brand ambassadors and influencers in the casino and online gaming industry.
It begins with an exploration of the origins of Las Vegas as an entertainment and gambling destination, highlighting the role of early media influencers and the city’s first brand ambassadors in the 1950s. The brief delves into the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) in marketing, offering a framework for understanding consumer persuasion and its application in consumer behavior.
Further, it examines the effectiveness of brand ambassadors and influencers, bridging the peripheral and central routes of marketing persuasion. Key gambling influencers on platforms like YouTube are profiled, providing insights into their reach and impact. The brief concludes with strategies for leveraging central and peripheral routes in marketing campaigns, discussing how to choose brand ambassadors and influencers based on marketing goals, and considering ethical aspects and consumer perceptions. Let’s take a deeper look at this primer!
KEY GAMBLING BRAND AMBASSADORS
The impact of brand ambassadors is well understood. From early television advertising history, Lucille Ball, the iconic 1950s star of “I Love Lucy,” was closely associated with Phillip Morris, a major cigarette brand. To make that reference even more meta, her character, Lucy Ricardo, in the May 5th, 1952, episode “Lucy Does a TV Commercial,” was the spokesperson for a health tonic, Vitameatavegamin. The hook of the joke was that the Lucy Ricardo character didn’t know that Vitameatavegamin was loaded with alcohol. She had trouble pronouncing the name of the product. She did so many retakes of the commercial that she became progressively drunk, slurring her words in an exaggerated, comical performance as she continued consuming the product.
These individuals, often celebrities or renowned personalities, bring their vast influence and following to the brands they represent, playing a pivotal role in shaping consumer perceptions and behaviors. Through their endorsements, these ambassadors exemplify the effective use of the peripheral route of persuasion, as delineated in the Elaboration Likelihood Model, leveraging their fame and public persona to attract and engage audiences in the gambling sector.
More examples can be mentioned. MMA fighter Conor McGregor became a brand ambassador for Parimatch in 2019. McGregor’s strong personal brand and his following in the sports community have been instrumental in promoting Parimatch’s betting services, which are especially appealing to combat sports fans. Parimatch underwent a rebranding and launched in February 2019 with Conor as the leading figure in front of the brand.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather has been associated with FanDuel, a famous sports betting company, after granting a sponsorship deal with FanDuel in his fight with Manny Pacquiao in 2015. His endorsements, often tied to high-profile boxing matches, significantly impact betting patterns and help drive traffic to FanDuel’s sports betting platform. Tickets for this fight sold out in one minute, according to Ticketmaster.
Also, in 2015, football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo joined PokerStars, one of the largest online poker platforms. Ronaldo was the second highest-paid athlete in 2014, with 35.5 million followers on Twitter and 103 million followers on Facebook. His global appeal and fan following have helped promote the game of poker beyond its traditional audience, bridging the gap between sports fandom and online gambling.
We can also mention the case of Shaquille O’Neal and WynnBET. In 2021, former NBA player and 15-time pro basketball all-star Shaquille O’Neal teamed up with WynnBET, the sports betting division of Wynn Resorts. The long-term partnership featured O’Neal in TV, digital, and print ad campaigns and the ShaqPot free-to-play game in the WynnBET app. Shaq’s involvement leverages his sports legacy and aligns with WynnBET’s strategy to appeal to a broad audience, including sports fans.
To access and download for free this Primer on Brands and Influencers in the Gambling Industry, you must click here.