“Watch this space!” proclaimed PlayOJO earlier this year when speaking to CasinoBeats to outline its bingo vision, with confidence expressed that the core pillars of the firm would result in a ‘very strong’ proposition amid a highly competitive environment.
Fast forward a little under three months, and PlayOJO is to gain an exclusive The Masked Singer branded branded room, which will subsequently be supported by a major advertising campaign across TV, radio, and social media.
This came as SkillOnNet lauded a “major product licensing partnership” that will see the launch of a Masked Singer UK games site, digital scratchcard, and slot game based on the popular TV show, in addition to the aforementioned bingo room.
Here, Andrew Steddy, head of bingo at PlayOJO, examines the delight at securing a partnership alongside such a ‘phenomenon,’ the group’s bingo strategy, and what’s in store as we head towards 2021.
CasinoBeats: When first announcing the deal, The Masked Singer was praised as an ‘absolute phenomenon,’ how pleasing was it to secure this partnership?
Andrew Steddy: We’re incredibly pleased to be working with The Masked Singer UK. Given the success of the show in the UK, not to mention globally, there was a significant level of competition to secure a gaming partnership.
We built a very good relationship very quickly with the team at Bandicoot and I think what stood out for them was our passion and vision for the branded games and how we intended to approach the marketing behind them. We’re big fans of the show, as are many of our players and we’re as excited about launching our games as we are about the upcoming new series and finding out ‘who’s behind the mask!’
“…it shows that after 3 years of phenomenal growth we’re not resting on our laurels”
CB: What possibilities does this open up for PlayOJO, and what advantages does it present?
AS: First and foremost, it shows that after 3 years of phenomenal growth we’re not resting on our laurels and were continually looking to deliver top quality games and work with brands that really resonate with our audience.
From day one our strategy has been to cement our position as the default destination for recreational players, to deliver a fun experience with the fairest proposition in the market. Working with a hugely successful TV brand will be very exciting for our players and help us to reach new audiences given the millions of people that watch the show across the world.
CB: How in keeping with the group’s wider strategy is this latest partnership?
AS: Very much aligned. There were plenty of partnership and sponsorship opportunities to consider but we felt strongly this partnership with The Masked Singer UK was right for us. It was important for us to partner with a TV show format that hasn’t been associated with gaming before and be first to market it in combination with PlayOJO’s unique gambling experience that our players have become used to enjoying.
In some ways TMS has reinvented the TV talent show genre and delivered a fun, unique and incredibly entertaining experience, much like PlayOJO has done, and continues to do, in the gaming market.
“This is a significant partnership for us and we plan to support it accordingly”
CB: Could you give us any further details into the subsequent advertising campaign that is to ensue?
AS: This is a significant partnership for us and we plan to support it accordingly, with heavy weight TV and radio campaigns in the UK featuring some stars of the show, and of course via programmatic and social channels all of which will be live with ITV’s launch of season 2 this month. Given the global reach of SkillOnNet we will also be active in other markets.
CB: This collaboration comes just months after you outlined PlayOJO’s bingo vision, what do you believe 2021 has in store for both PlayOJO and its bingo division more specifically?
AS: We have an exciting and busy year ahead that’s for sure both in the UK and globally. We’re only four months in with our bingo product but were very pleased with the impact that’s had, both from a player retention and acquisition perspective so first and foremost we want to continue that growth in the UK.
Launching in new markets is a key priority for 2021, and with PlayOJO live in Sweden, Spain and Canada already, as well as launching imminently in LatAm there are some really interesting opportunities.
Masked Singer is a long-term partnership for us so we will of course be continually developing our offering and products, and scaling up marketing particularly when the show airs on TV. And finally, were keen to launch bingo with other brands on the SkillOnNet network and perhaps even announce one or two further brand partnerships.
