Advertising

"Asia can offer up great rewards. But with competition heating up, creative marketing is set to become the online gambling industry's royal flush."


Digital Media, February 2008

Scratchies.com Campaign '08
Commercial Director: Bo Krabbe http://www.bokrabbe.com/
Concept: Bo Krabbe/Richard Henderson
[RT Films & Holmes Defenders of the Faith]
Client: Maverick Brands Asia/Scratchies.com
Agency: Maverick Brands Australasia
Duration: 30/45 & 90 sec 'uncut' versions

The brief? Create one ridiculously sticky piece of film that is going to grab millions of people's attention, get circulated and have people curious enough that they will end up visiting the site. We have recognition in spades, we want reaction.

Not as straightforward as one may imagine. We also wanted something that raises more questions than it answers among Australians and also for each of our other markets regionally and globally. We want them scratching their heads and thinking what the f*ck? It's a silly ad, but it gets results.

This ad certainly wouldn't conform to the expectations of any Australian whose birthdays growing up were punctuated by a Hallmark card and a few scratchies from Grandma and Grandpa. We want them as unbalanced as the ad itself.

Whether publicity is achieved through PR or using the mass media mega sites like YouTube and Ad Critic or television like Australia's Wackiest Commercials - we're not fussy about audience, as long as they are over 18. Our market is incredibly diverse, coming from all walks and very different lands. We're more than confident of word of mouth.

In an effort to ensure Scratchies remain front of mind, we have half a dozen of our own sites in development: brands like Agency, fashionweek.asia, thinksmall.tv, ScoopNet.net and our multi-platform gaming on the go BLEGGO.com.

Above and below are the brands which all fall under our gaming umbrella. We have a number of innovative portals ready to launch - or have already - that cater to the most desirable, ultra-high disposable income demographics.

The Maverick team has a couple of hundred years of brand building experience in Asia-Pacific between them. Our 'target' here represents a potential audience of tens of millions - quality millions. As we are all employed in the advertising and/or marketing industry, we can tell you the market for our Agency brand in China will kick serious ass.

Their focus spans fashion and lifestyle; the arts; advertising & marketing; technology & news, down to the 18-25 'FHM' girls & gadgetry sector - but their sole purpose is to act as an online gaming introduction agency.

The English sites are featured here - more on their Chinese/SE Asia brothers in that section [avoid the first paragraph, as it's the same!] Say goodbye to banner-farms full of your direct competitors and arguably the worst branding environment known to man. What's the alternative?

Of course those gamblers are big spenders - and valuable - but the churn's a real killer nonetheless. In simple terms, you can stand shoulder-to-shoulder and banner-to-banner with your competitors and compete for crumbs dropped by the small percentage of hard-core gamblers frequenting the banner-farms. They'll still want you to 'haggle' with sign-up bonuses and their affections are easily bought.

Reach that first bunch of guys AND meet the Real Money which also denotes the highest volume of prospects. This is 'THE' demographic representing the lion's share of the wealthiest punters. They're checking in on Fashion Week, or the CEO is reading about his network in Agency, or the boys are trying to win the iPhone on Think Small TV, which puts a fresh and fun spin on stale YouTube.

What better environment to close that deal? Consider the breathtaking size of the advertising & marketing industry in China today alone, then add the high-end fashion and luxury goods sector, electronics, travel. These folks have serious money and serious jobs. Let alone time, they simply wouldn't dream of looking for or clicking-into an affiliate gaming site.

Billings in the Chinese ad business, which came in at an estimated $10.4 billion last year, are expected to hit $14 billion for 2007, and the country is likely to become the world's second-largest media market by 2014. In fact, China will be the world's second-largest economy by 2020, built around a middle class set to grow from 110 million people today to more than 150 million; GDP should quadruple by that year, to $4 trillion [FastCompany.Com].

Launched March 2009 - Click Here

Scratchies are definitely not a niche market. That would be like saying Asia is sparsely populated and its various peoples don't fancy a wager. Aussies are already aware of scratchies and mad keen on gaming, so the mere appearance of our viral ad will achieve our first goal automatically. Our raft of sub-brands up above will give us phenomenal reach.

We're also targeting our neighbors in Asia and New Zealand, which is part of the reason for the mixed talent, cutting different language versions and shooting with Australasia's finest in award-winning director Bo Krabbe. We aimed for a concept that was bizarre and warranting a third view, because we're very confident it got at least two.

We have more ads in production - all very off-the-wall and still centering around dreams coming true - which will be released throughout 2008. This is a sneak preview of our colourful ad to kick off the year. The ad will be be released to coincide with Scratchies.com coming of age and launching as a true standalone brand. The 90 second uncut version is coming soon. On the business of casinos, expect announcements about Pokies TV and Scratchies soon.

You'd be safe in assuming that Spin Palace are not alone in trying to catch the punters' attention.




You might find it hard to believe, but the garden variety of Australian punters - the ones that are spending the lion's share of the $95 billion - wouldn't be able to differentiate between Bodog, 888, Spin, Ladbrokes, Lasseters, Bet365, Centrebet, Betfair - and Joeblowcasino ...

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