Online betting operator Betsafe’s new marketing campaign is asking punters to take the piss – literally.
The UK-licensed Betsafe – an offshoot of Swedish betting operator Betsson – recently launched its Rugby Challenge to coincide with the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial quest for world rugby bragging rights that kicked off in the UK on Sept. 18.
In partnership with Captive Media, Betsafe has equipped 75 pubs and bars across the UK with special urinals that use sensors to detect the direction and strength of a stream of urine. Participating punters must wield their tackle to help an animated player avoid actual tackles on his way to the goal line, their progress viewable on a video screen located at eye level.
The total of yards carried and tackles broken are used to calculate a punter’s score, which is then compared with the score earned by former England rugby star Kyran Bracken. Beating Bracken’s best allows punters the opportunity to register with Betsafe for a draw that will see one lucky player win a pair of tickets – one for each kidney – to the World Cup final in Twickenham on Oct. 31.
Bracken claims the ‘hands free’ promotion is the first time in World Cup history that anyone was given the opportunity to win Final tickets “by nipping to the gents.” The promotion, which runs until Oct. 25, will also see Betsafe’s pre-match odds prominently displayed on Capitve Media screens in pubs and bars across the UK.
Betsafe has adopted a decidedly cheeky approach to its marketing, as evidenced by its recent No Bullshit Betting campaign, in which a Betsafe rep taunted punters that she made “a good living at your expense.”
SKY VEGAS HAS A QUESTION
Meanwhile, rival UK operator Sky Betting & Gaming’s online casino site Sky Vegas has rolled out its own new marketing campaign. The campaign features four 30-second TV spots, united by a common theme and visuals, centered around the tagline: “Why aren’t you in Sky Vegas?”
The spots, each of which pimps a different casino product, feature a closeup of a man’s face, with the game in question (slots, roulette, etc.) reflected in the man’s sunglasses. The accompanying voiceover describes how, only moments ago, the man was engaged in some mundane household task, and now he’s happily wagering away online.
Daniele Philips, Sky Betting & Gaming’s head of casino marketing, said the company’s research showed that viewers “really struggle to differentiate” the TV spots of different casino brands, and that the new Sky Vegas ads “give us a very distinct character.”
We couldn’t agree more, particularly when compared to the very stylish but personality-challenged campaign recently rolled out by rival GentingCasino.com. But as always, judge for yourself…
