PointsBet decides against “too edgy” betting ad on TV

PointsBet has struck home with a new marketing campaign "Do It Live" that focuses on introducing consumers to the simplicity of the company’s betting app. Debuted on time for the NFL season 2022, the campaign came with an ad that turned out to be "too out-of-the-box" and that will not make it to TV screens, the company said in a press release.

The first cut of the ad the company decided against running on TV would rather remain confined to PointsBet’s digital channels instead. Named "Sanctuary," PointsBet decided against airing the spot after deeming it as "too edgy" to hit national TV and in a way, defeating the purpose. The ad is available on social channels, and YouTube, where you can see the original commercial and judge whether it’s indeed as PointsBet says.

Company Director of Brand Josh Powell shared his insight into the "Do It Live" campaign and what the Sanctuary ad sought to tell viewers. In a way, Powell said, the spot wanted to show that betting can be a very casual experience. Betting can take place at any time, including while sitting on the toilet.

He added that the concept of the broadcast was a bit "outside the box" which did not make it a good fit for TV but still remained a good visual aid to help PointsBet reach new audiences and communicate its core messages. PointsBet, though, ran a "plain" which lacked the common tricks used by sports betting companies, such as pacey music, and flashy visuals.

More so, PointsBet remained entirely focused on what it calls "capturing real moments" from sports betting lives and demonstrating how using people’s phones in a relaxed fashion could translate into betting action. Once again, there were no creative prompts to suggest that the moment of placing a wager was suspenseful, culminating in an expected win towards the end of the ad.

Presently, the app is available to see by consumers on the YouTube channels as mentioned before, including the PointsBet app, Twitter, and Instagram. However, an approved version of the ad will actually appear with NBC’s local and regional networks in Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

PointsBet has been increasing its presence in the United States with the company launching a new sportsbook just this week in Maryland. Bolstered by strong Q2 results, PointsBet remains confident that it will continue to build up its momentum in the North American market.

Image credit: Unsplash.com