SPONSORED EDITORIAL
SQUARE IN THE AIR
PUBLIC RELATIONS FOCUS
Getting heard,Thinking Aristocrat- the right way
As the egaming industry has changed exponentially in a few years, the emphasis on having a public presence and proactive PR processes has become more Sam Nickless of Aristocrat important. Robin Hutchison, of Square in explains how one of the the Air, examines how the industry has leaders of the land-based changed to reach this conclusion slot world is taking its premium games to a range Ladbrokes legend Cyril Stein had one word of advice for his ?rst PR of new channels, including man Ron Pollard after instructing him to draw up a market on the the online market. next Archbishop of Canterbury: “The Chief Rabbi is 500/1.” Long
before Paddy Power was tormenting Tiger Woods with Sky tweets and while Graeme Sharpe was still in short trousers, novelty betting – and with it modern day betting PR – was born. The market, and the incredulous coverage it generated in every national media outlet, blurred the boundaries between the bookie and its punters. One would always be the Sheriff of Nottingham to the other’s Robin Hood, but here was a newfound lightness of touch and a concerted attempt to engage with both customers and the news agenda. In truth, it’s been plain sailing ever since. These days gambling and egaming are an accepted part of the leisure industry. Sure, there may be some sections of the media that still get excited by the prospect of a three horse patent or the turn of a poker card, but most understand the popularity of the games and betting opportunities on offer these days. As a result, most of the companies who once adopted a cautious approach have cast off their inhibitions. Curiously, there are still some who choose to stay under the radar fearing, presumably, that the regulator is waiting to tick them off. More curious still are those who feel they’re too big or too successful to dirty their hands with a PR strategy. Along with the mainstream media, of course, there are B2B publications such as this one which have mushroomed in recent years, providing further opportunities for promotion. There’s even, dare I write it here, the
outside the box
VICTOR CHANDLER
Sam Nickless is the Managing Director of Emerging Businesses ROBIN HUTCHISON & Strategy, responsible for Robin Hutchison, director,online and career at the Aristocrat’s lotteries, began his Daily Star before moving businesses. Sam five years content licensing to Ladbrokes. After he went freelance, helping Gala Coral develop their new joined Aristocrat in 2009 and was websites. He joined Square in the Air in July 2012 and previously at National Australia heads up new business. Bank and at McKinsey & Company.
DIY approach using social media to speak – and listen – to your customer base. You can count on one hand the number of ?rms who’ve not yet seen the light in this area. Yet sadly not everyone uses it successfully, believing the odd tweet or Facebook post constitutes eGaming Review (eGR):out of obligation, social media is a waste of engagement. Used Tell us a little about Aristocrat’s emerging businesses strategy? it can in?ict serious damage on your credibility. time; used wrongly Sam Nicklesscorrectly it can open new channels and deliver customers But used (SN): Our vision is to reach more players with our game content by providing access throughcyberspace. who you never knew existed safely from new channels. Aristocrat At Square in50 years we takeaamanufacturer of well to media began over the Air ago as proactive approach engineered, reliable, it traditional or social. As trained journalists, we’re used relations, be secure and fair gaming machines. The hardware wasto life on both sides of thea few years ago, we manufactured crucial to this. Until only fence and understand the marketplace even basic to our long experience in it. thanks components like nuts and bolts ourselves. So our business was ?rmly based on the sale ofrun your Facebook and the box it’s We’ll tweet away for you and the game content page so that as ameaningful and terminal in a land-based casino or club cementing bundle. Now a productive, while building numbers and is only one,loyalty important, way with editors and content. We are now albeit too. Engaging of accessing our their journalists, keeping looking for ways to get our quality is a given as well. in whatever them abreast of developments, content to players legal market they want to stuff, in truth, and by keeping them informed It’s not complicated play. we are far more likely to secure better slots for our output and eGR: What opportunities does that present for deploying Aristo-isn’t ensure positive coverage. And, of course, when business crat’s content in new arenas? for our clients it’s easier to get a fairer as smooth as it might be SN: hearing when you’re in regular communication with the reporter We believe Aristocrat has created some of the most distinctive and covering the story. entertaining gambling games in the world. The success and longevity of our most famous titles in the major casino markets con?rms this belief. It’s the combination of the mathematics and the feel for the player experience that comes from our deep heritage in this industry. Playing Aristocrat is no longer constrained to where we can place our terminals. Our initial suite of games has translated well to the online environment and our free-to-play apps on the Apple iStore have had rave reviews and plenty of downloads. We are now also licensing our content to a number of land-based operators in markets we wouldother marketing support As I’m not obliged to say in this article, be unlikely to enter as aisfully-?edged there,manufacturer myfor example, the classic you available out EGM so don’t take – word for it. But whether Dolphin Treasure™ will soon be to an agencyUK licensedisbetting do it in-house or outsource it available in like ours, it well worth offices. We also your communications through marketing and PR. stepping up deploy our games through our own server-based gam ???????????Q??M???????????????????????????????????%
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