Reputation is everything

EGR Marketing: What is the function of Digital Choo?

Iryna Kurochkina (IK): Digital Choo is an international marketing agency with extensive expertise in the gaming industry. We also have a vast amount of experience in other gaming categories including betting, casino, ICO, and crypto.

As an agency, we developed an independent unit two years ago. At present, there are analytically sound solutions for cross-regional and multimedia planning, and a wide network of traffic sources, sponsorship opportunities of any complexity, more than 500 international partners, and many more. We view exposure and reputation as one of our key advantages.

EGR Marketing: You seem to put a lot of effort into work focused on reputation. Why?

IK: It’s been proven to be extremely efficient in the long term. There is a common misconception in many countries which is the notion that betting/gaming is something to be ashamed of, something that inevitably brings one to dire conditions. In the minds of people, a gambler is an unreliable person, capable of fraud, theft, deception and so on, all to get money to make the next bet.

Moreover, limitations can create intemperance. Controversies regarding gambling as a harmful thing only legitimise it as such. The ‘forbidden fruit’ is sweet and never enough; it’s a simple trick that is widely used in psychology for marketing and political campaigning. The availability of something also lowers the habitual desire to have it. Making something normative to talk about leads to more productive discussions on more relevant matters.

If you can eliminate common misconceptions, which purely surround issues pertaining to reputation, the barriers for attracting new clients also dissipate. It then becomes easier to encourage existing customers to spend more, thus further developing a betting business interest.

EGR Marketing: Are traditional marketing tools no longer ‘enough’?

IK: First of all, there’s no need to limit yourself; if there’s a potential, make it work 100% or more! The thing with betting is this: in many countries of the world it has shadowy connotations. There are a lot of rules on how you can and even more on how you can’t, communicate about it. Due to this, many decision-makers don’t invest in reputation. It seems too complex and “seems” is the key; if you have expertise such as we do in DC, it’s possible to bridge the communication gap and reinforce perceptions while remaining strictly within the law. For example, when we developed Parimatch’s rebranding, it was also adapted to different markets and we ensured that, despite some changes, it still communicated the same message. It may seem tricky from many angles, but that’s exactly why there are professionals who create PR strategies and are able to alter a brand’s reputation in a way that starts to benefit the business.

EGR Marketing: Is there any data to back up these claims?

IK: Of course. A recent example is one of our campaigns that was primarily aimed at changing the perception of a brand in a certain country by attracting customers from new audiences by creating trust in the category. We conducted a detailed survey to see how it worked, and it indicated that 10% of the population which had not previously bet on sports expressed a desire to learn more about the service. They also displayed renewed confidence in the world of betting as a whole. Traditional business goals such as increasing average monthly attraction of new clients, increasing profit, and decreasing costs of attracting new customers, outperformed expectations by simply utilising PR tools.

Considering the new generations of audiences such as millennials and Z’s that come into play and become the most numerous part of the audience, working with a brand’s reputation is even more important. The value of sociality and open discussions is a lifestyle rather than just a trend for these people. The more openly they can talk about their hobbies, share emotions and thoughts on the subject with others without disapproval, weird glances or stigma, the more accessible and enticing it will be for them.

EGR Marketing: What advice would you give to those who want to lead their businesses out of the shadow of controversy?

IK: To show it from the different perspectives — as a kind of leisure, as a way to elicit emotions, as a way to support sport, as many bookmakers worldwide are often also the significant sports sponsors. Lastly, to create assurance that it’s okay to be into betting — a trust that gives people a sense of safety and purpose if done in moderation.

Iryna Kurochkina is an expert in integrated marketing communications with 15 years of experience in many categories in various markets of presence. Founder & CEO of Digital Choo, the international marketing agency with deep expertise in the gaming category and a wide pool of clients in many countries around the world.