On the latest episode of Footprints in the Market | Influencing iGaming, we’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Brand Architects Managing Director/CMO Harry Lang! Harry has had an incredible journey throughout his career, which has seen him serve as CMO at Pinnacle Sports, VP of Marketing at Kwalee and in senior marketing roles with Buzz Bingo and Genting Casinos.
Harry sat down for a chat with Digital Footprints Managing Director Sharon McFarlane, and the two discussed how to embrace imperfections in marketing, balancing acquisition and retention, understanding the customer perspective and more!
Marketing is Never Perfect
We can all be guilty of chasing perfection, whether that’s in the campaigns we run or the designs we create. However, unlike other disciplines, marketing is rarely, if ever, perfect. It’s a fluid, ever-changing practice that requires adaptability, versatility and the ability to accept that not everything is going to work as you might expect it.
Harry explains:
“Marketing is imperfect. It’s never, ever going to be perfect. Finance teams can be perfect. But marketing is never perfect, and every day is different. Product needs change, audiences change, regulations change, legislative requirements change, licensing laws change. And then the world changes with economic shifts. And as a marketer in gaming, you need to be trying your best to be at the front of all these changes.”
Balancing Acquisition and Retention
For iGaming operators, bringing in new players is a top priority. However, if there’s too much focus on this aspect, the existing player experience can suffer. As a result, brands can see high churn rates and high levels of player turnover that can be extremely damaging.
Harry touched on how brands can strike a balance between player acquisition and retention:
“The analogy I’ve always used is that user acquisition is like the central midfield and the attacking lineup in a football team. Basically, the glory hunters that get all the money, get all the plaudits, get the media press and everyone celebrates them. And then you’ve got your defensive line and your goalkeeper who, whilst one end of the field is trying to score goals, the other is stopping you from letting goals in. And that’s what retention teams do.
“That, for me, is the glamour. Yeah, I might have some fun going to an ad shoot once in a while, but if you can nail retention and reactivation, then you’re a hero. You’re a real hero because that’s where people like the CFO and the CEO really start paying attention. You’re not the team spooning all the money out the window. You’re the team that’s done 10% better in terms of captured market. I’d like that perception to be more widely recognised.”
Understanding the Customer Perspective
In the excitement of running campaigns and coming up with new concepts, it can be all too easy to forget who the effort is for: the customer. This is a fatal error that can have serious consequences. Being able to stop and think about things from the customer or player’s perspective is an essential skill that all marketers need to have.
Harry explains:
“People have a real problem putting themselves in the shoes of the customer. CFOs, in particular, seem to have a habit of having an opinion. And you sort of say, when was the last time you played casino slots and were a woman from Yorkshire? When was that? Because your opinion is totally invalid on all these points.
“None of us are the customer. But marketers, good marketers, think on behalf of the customer. What are they currently playing? What are they currently reacting to? What campaigns did they like in the past that were actually effective? These are the questions that need to be asked.”
Harry and Sharon also discussed:
The Risks of Conformity in Marketing (jump to 16.51)
Navigating Regulations (jump to 20.06)
The Role of Bonuses in Player Acquisition (jump to 25.56)
We’d like to extend a huge thanks to Harry for taking the time to share these fantastic insights. Watch this space for the next episode of Footprints in the Market | Influencing iGaming.
