We’re back with Episode 2 of Footprints in the Market | Influencing iGaming Season 3! This week, we’re delighted to welcome SBC Senior Marketing Director Dennis Algreen. Dennis sat down with Digital Footprints Managing Director Sharon McFarlane for a chat about all things conferences, including balancing sponsorship and audience experience, keynote speakers and future trends in event planning. Listen in below.
Balancing Sponsorship and Audience Experience
Conferences, especially the huge events we see in iGaming, are expensive and complex projects. They require large teams of dedicated staff and come with a unique set of challenges and obstacles. To make these events financially viable, sponsorship is essential. However, organisers must walk a fine line, lean too heavily into sponsorship and the events run the risk of feeling diluted or over-commercialised.
Dennis explained: “These events have to work commercially. But it’s about maintaining that integrity. For instance, what are you allowing people to present on stage? How does that impact the perception of the conference content? We’re not here to just present product pitches. We advise people to make sure that there is substance for the audience there. Because if there’s substance for the audience there, the response is also much more likely to be positive.
“We also really want to make sure that we’re creating an experience. Yes, there’s an expo. Yes, there’s a conference. But we also make sure that there are niche, grouped meetups for specific groups and individuals and interests within the industry. I think that it makes up a whole package where yes, the commercial side is an aspect, but the commercial side only works if you create an experience that people will want to come back to no matter what.”
Changes in iGaming Event Marketing
Anyone involved in iGaming will have seen ads and marketing materials related to the numerous conferences and industry events held throughout the year. While traditional marketing channels are still valuable, organisers are beginning to explore alternative, more organic approaches.
Dennis Algreen said: “I think there has, of course, been changes. Especially on the digital marketing front and how we make use of social media. A lot of our marketing is community-based marketing, but now we make use of online communities to strengthen that.
“That includes our own employees as stakeholders. includes our speakers as stakeholders, our sponsors and exhibitors and all the attendees. The more you can activate them, the better. It’s technically word of mouth. It’s just a much more mass digitalised word of mouth.”
Future Trends in Event Management
The event space is competitive, with organisers vying to stake a claim as the most unmissable date on the iGaming calendar. As a result, these events become bigger and bolder every year, with more to do and more to see to ensure attendees keep coming back. For organisers, this means having to constantly think of new ways to optimise the experience and ensure it’s still providing value.
Dennis explains: “I think what’s happening at the moment is that focus seems to be veering quite a lot back to the core product. One of the biggest things that we’ve discussed is that while we have all this pazazz that goes on, there’s been a lot of effort spent on little things like: What are the travel options and transport options for people? How convenient can we make that? How convenient and well can we map out the flow through the event of traffic? Where are people going? Where do they want to go?
“The general user experience is really at the core at the moment. And I think that’s something we’ve seen with other events as well. When that’s done well, it helps the overall perception and the overall experience for people.”
Dennis and Sharon also discussed:
The Upcoming SBC Lisbon Event (jump to 9.03)
Keynote Speaker Strategies (jump to 14.46)
Advice for New Marketers (jump to 22.45)
A huge thanks to Dennis Algreen for taking part! Episode 4 of Footprints in the Market | Influencing iGaming Season 3 will be dropping next week.
