888

A UNIFYING BRAND PLATFORM THAT HARNESSED A UNIVERSAL TRUTH: PLAY

What we loved

Creating a unifying, distinctive and compelling brand strategy in an intensely competitive market with aggressive regulations coming at us from all angles.

How we got there

During the first five years of partnership we developed separate brand positions and platforms for the 888 sub brands (888sport, 888casino and 888poker). Each of these brands catered to a different audience and each was positioned around a different consumer benefit.

While each of these positionings worked individually, we were missing a big opportunity to build on a shared brand equity, to develop deep saliency and drive media efficiencies and effectiveness as a result.

We sought a common truth that would resonate equally with our disparate audiences. The concept of ‘play’. It helps people relax, bond, grow and develop and it even keeps them feeling young. “We don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing.” This idea of injecting playfulness back into gambling was not only a philosophy the internal teams could get on board with, that thread throughout all different 888 business units, but it also was something that appeased regulators too.

Made to Play was born.

A global, multi-channel, campaign celebrating all the different elements of play: A sports betting site made to play the sport behind the sport, a poker site made to play for players (not pros), and a casino made to play for big fun, not big funds. A simple switch that changed everything.

what it changed

A change in 888 ambitions, philosophies, principles and personality. A new stake in the ground and north star for the future. And, most importantly of all, a 38% increase in revenues YOY.