Australian betting operator Tabcorp has taken a public potshot at rival Tatts Group’s new betting brand UBET.
Tatts launched the UBET brand late last month to amalgamate its Tattsbet, TAB and Tote brands under a single banner. To celebrate the launch of its new website, UBET had its official coming out party at a bash in Sydney.
Sidney is Tabcorp’s backyard, while Tatts is based in Brisbane, so there was always just the teensiest chance that Tabcorp might feel they were being deliberately provoked.
Skip ahead a few weeks and Tabcorp places a half-page ad in a national newspaper to promote its Tab.com.au online betting site. More than half the ad (pictured) was given to type proclaiming: ‘I’ll see you down the UBET’ said no one ever. Message delivered, the ad proceeds to list Tabcorp’s many and varied attributes, including its longevity and an “easy” mobile betting app.
In response, UBET brand general manager Penny Glasson (not pictured) told SmartCompany that it was “good to see we’ve made an impact, but we’re taking it in good humor.” Launching a new brand in the hyper-competitive Aussie betting market is a bit like entering Thunderdome but Glasson says UBET is too focused on the customer to worry about “reacting impulsively to competitors.”
Bollocks. UBET’s loving the free publicity. They’re likely thinking of new ways to goad Tabcorp into structuring entire campaigns around UBET. Smart money is on UBET’s next company shindig being held in a giant tent in an empty lot across the street from Tabcorp HQ. That, or some kind of fire-bombing incident. But probably the tent thing.
