Against all odds: U*BET 2018 World Cup success story.

With only 150 km away from the Sicilian coasts, Malta shares strong ties with Italy. At every World Cup, Italy ranks very high in the heart of every Maltese, so when Italy was eliminated from the 2018 run-ups, Malta’s National Lottery operator – Maltco – faced a possible decline of interest for U*Bet, its leading sports betting brand. Discover how Maltco turned this risk into an opportunity, with a mix of clever strategy and perfect execution.

To begin with, the U*Bet team got at the heart of its target audience motivations for playing. To understand this, it is key to distinguish “gaming” from “betting”. Indeed, gaming involves a lottery, i.e. drawing a series of numbers at random, with a prize for the lucky one(s). Here no expertise, apart from understanding the game’s rules. In sports betting, success depends on a player’s ability to predict a result which in turn comes from the players’ knowledge of the discipline, the ability to analyse and bet on an outcome. This makes all the difference.

Therefore, U*Bet’s insight area is about knowing more, wanting to be seen and admired as a smart expert. This motivation lies in the “status” area and the betting brand becomes the official benchmark by which a player is tested and officially recognised. U*Bet’s main purpose then becomes clear: U*Bet celebrates skills, around the core values of empowerment, adrenaline and excitement. This purpose is universal and inspirational, and as such, it allows to engage and go beyond the simple betting act.

U*Bet reached its target audience before and during the World Cup with a through-the-line plan including:

  • A U*Bet TV spot, where famous street football stars (including Edward van Gils & Ismael Hamdaoui) displayed their skills in street football acrobatics on Valletta’s sea front – a metaphor to celebrate skills – crowned by a powerful call to action “Live the Game”;
  • A strong media plan where U*Bet partnered with Malta’s National TV, the official World Cup broadcaster, reaching more than 70% of the Island Adult World Cup viewers;
  • U*Bet Daily TV programs relayed in social media, with local celebrities sharing their personal opinion of the day’s games – in a light-hearted manner;
  • A rich and dynamic offer with over 1 500 bet types proposed during this major event, and the introduction of the “Bet Bonus Accumulator” as a true innovation feature.

As a result, U*Bet results showed an extraordinary boost vs. the 2014 World Cup campaign with more than 20% sales increase, an increase of advertising awareness to 27%, an increase of the internet page hits by nearly 100% and a massive engagement in social media with almost 30 000 minutes of online viewership

In summary, U*Bet success in the latest World Cup campaign demonstrates that – despite adverse conditions – a brand can beat expectations and be successful when it combines solid insights, fresh creative ideas and superb 360ª execution. Like in betting, little room for luck.

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