Exclusive: Betfred.com launches £9m TV ad campaign
Operator is a top-tier advertiser on both BT Sport and Sky Sports for upcoming football season
Betfred.com is investing almost £10m into TV advertising over the course of the 2014/14 football season.
The online arm of retail bookie Betfred will be a top-tier advertiser on both Sky Sports and BT Sport, spending more than three times the £3m spent in the previous two seasons.
“We’ve massively upped our game,” Betfred.com managing director Chris Sheffield (pictured) told eGaming Review. “We’re spending the same if not more than the biggest operators now.”
The operator will promote products unique to Betfred.com such as the Goals Galore and Double Delight Hat-trick Heaven, as well as its in-play offering, during football coverage.
In-game advertising has been dominated by the likes of Ladbrokes and bet365 in recent years, which along with William Hill rank among the biggest spenders on TV marketing.
The new ‘You’ll love a bit of Betfred’ campaign from integrated agency BJL will encourage betting and gaming fans to focus on the enjoyment of interacting with the brand through its various channels, the company said.
The operator has experienced 40% year-on-year growth in its online offering and expects its new advertising campaign to provide at least that growth again.
“We’re positioning ourselves differently to all the other guys. It’s all very shouty and about prices and special deals, but we’re more focussed on treating the customer well and being friendly and entertaining.”
Sheffield said a proportion of the eight-figure investment had been generated through its mobile sports betting offering, having brought the entire function in-house earlier this year. Mobile now accounts for almost 50% of Betfred’s online turnover and around 60% of online profits.
“We’ve spent the past six months getting ready for the increased demand we think the ad campaign will attract, including beefing up customer service, fraud and payments,” said Sheffield.