For instance, among football clubs, 18 out of the 20 teams competing in the Brazilian Serie A have some form of partnership - only Palmeiras and Cuiabá lack any shirt appearances.
Off the field, a survey conducted by Tunad and released in January this year, revealed a 30% increase in TV betting ads compared to the first three months of 2023. This growth's impact is also evident in most nationwide competitions, such as the Brazilian Championship, which has partnerships with six platforms.
"At Esportes da Sorte, we believe in an exclusive segment model for this type of media. However, due to Brazilian operators' appetite, such exclusivity would come at an exorbitant cost. Therefore, adapting to the existing scenario is essential. Brands sharing this advertising space must work on differentiation. In the case of Esportes da Sorte, for example, we differentiate ourselves by avoiding the term 'bet' in our brand (neither as a suffix nor prefix), coupled with visual and narrative strategies that strategically position the brand among its competitors," explains Darwin Filho, CEO of Esportes da Sorte.
However, the lingering question is how fans at the stadium or watching games on TV or online can differentiate one platform from another, or what might prompt them to choose one over the others when viewing ads from five different platforms.
Sports management experts understand that the large number of betting advertisements in the same space is necessary during regulation times.
"The phenomenon of sports betting sponsorship is unprecedented in the sports sponsorship market, and new standards have been established. Having multiple advertisers from the same segment in a property often reduces the effectiveness of that space significantly. However, it is essential to consider that the market has been regulated, and being present in key sports properties and taking a definitive stance could be crucial for future plans as the market tends to stabilize," analyzes Ivan Martinho, sports marketing professor at ESPM.
"A solution for the betting market or any other segment is to explore other sports with a large number of participants that still convey an authoritative image, such as Brazilian volleyball, especially in an Olympic year where both indoor and beach volleyball are major global favorites," points out Renê Salviano, CEO of Heatmap and a sports marketing expert who negotiates contracts between brands and sports professionals.
"2024 will be a watershed year for the betting segment; it is crucial for brands to use their marketing budget wisely, seeking commercial properties with a good cost-benefit ratio and never forgetting to activate acquired properties. This is precisely where the approach to the customer and achieving the coveted conversion take place, bridging the gap between the physical and fully digital environment," adds the executive.
Brazilian national team games featured exposure from seven brands
Anyone who watched the Brazilian national team's two friendlies in Texas and Orlando in recent days against Mexico and the United States noticed a multitude of Brazilian sponsors on the stadium advertising boards where the games were held. Among them were seven betting platforms: BETesporte, Bet7k, Betano, Superbet, Betnacional, 1XBet, and BateuBet.
For example, the BETesporte platform claims that for the match between the United States and Brazil, they bet on a greater number of advertising inserts, besides being present in the last three national team games.
"In addition to increasing BETesporte's visibility, we managed to create an emotional connection with the audience, associating our 'warm-up the game' campaign with the positive results that the Brazilian national team has been achieving. Furthermore, we are attentive to the moment and have prepared special bets so that fans can enjoy double the excitement," explains Vinicius Nogueira, CEO of the company.
According to Nogueira, this was precisely what BETesporte achieved in this match. "In this game, we predicted that Rodrygo would score a goal, and that's what happened. The goal is for our platform to become a natural choice for fans, based on credibility and the exclusive benefits we offer to clients," he adds.
Bet7k understands that this type of investment brings positive returns to the platform. "We know that football is the true popular passion of Brazilians, along with Carnival, fun, and entertainment, and we believe that exposure in Brazil games generates numerous opportunities. Our strategy is to continue activating our brand in Brazil and abroad, thereby building this relationship of the brand with major events," points out Talita Lacerda, CEO of the company.
For experts, exposure on advertising boards during games, especially those that yield good TV ratings and generate photos, memes, and screenshots during and after on social media, remains a cost-effective alternative for these brands.
"Institute research confirms that investing in field boards brings a significant brand recognition return, known as awareness," analyzes Salviano.
Fabio Wolff, sports marketing specialist and Managing Partner at Wolff Sports, points out that the investment companies make in Brazil games is for advertising, i.e., visibility. "As a brand exposure tactic, it is interesting because the Brazilian national team provides good audiences, especially in prime time as was the case with the last match. However, it is important to note that this is not a sponsorship where you can activate and engage with the fan," he emphasizes.
Artur Mahmoud, business director at End to End Agency, which connects fans with their passion and serves as a hub for solutions and engagement in the sports market, concurs: "There are various ways to work on brand exposure. Brazilian national team games are always great opportunities to break through the bubble and mainly generate authority by being associated with major brands."
Source: GMB
