Author: Sebastian Scheplitz
On 20 June this year, just a couple of weeks around the corner, many countries celebrate one of the most significant annual commemorations across different industries: Father’s Day.
Harnessing the power of Father’s Day is one of the best iGaming content marketing strategies your brand can employ – like any other major holiday of its ilk.
Watch this video to get an overview of how you can get the most out of this celebration:
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In the United States alone, Father’s Day generated expenditures of €16.6 billion ($20.1 billion) in 2021 – that’s a lot of business for being a fairly latter-day celebration.
And why not? It ticks all the boxes: it’s popular, it tugs at the heartstrings, and there are boundless potentials for creative, engaging, and above all, profitable marketing campaigns – whenever it’s done right.
And considering the fact that men are twice more likely to take risks than women, banking on Father’s Day is a smart play for online casinos and sportsbooks. Besides, our dads deserve their special day in the sun.
Fun Fact #1: In Germany, Father’s Day is celebrated every Ascension Day or forty days after Easter. It is also celebrated as “Men’s Day” or “Gentlemen’s Day”.
A Brief History of Father’s Day
The celebration of Father’s Day was introduced at the beginning of the 20th century by a lady named Sonora Dodd, who wished to commemorate her late father, William Jackson Smart – a Civil War veteran and widower who raised all his six children on a farm.
Mrs. Dodd first plotted the celebration on 5 June, coinciding with her late father’s birthday. However, it was delayed until the third Sunday of the month to give pastors ample time to prepare their homilies. The first Father’s Day was then celebrated on 19 June, the third Sunday of 1910.
Eventually, President Lyndon Baines Johnson officially recognized the formal date to celebrate fatherhood. This celebration was then formally enacted into law in 1972 by President Richard Nixon as the national holiday that we all know today.
Fun Fact #2: Did you know that, in the US, Mother’s Day was enacted into law as a national holiday in 1914, 58 years before Father’s Day became official in 1972?
Different Strokes, Different Folks
However, while most of the world observes Father’s Day, as the United States does, on every third Sunday of June, other countries celebrate their dads at different times throughout the year.
Germany, for instance, commemorates fathers on 13 May this year, or generally 40 days after Easter Sunday. Australia and New Zealand, on the other hand, celebrate the observance every first Sunday of September. Meanwhile, Thailand celebrates its version of Father’s Day in honor of the late, revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej every 5 December.
Why is this vital information, you ask? As you will know by now, localization plays an integral role in every iGaming brand worth its salt – and will increasingly be more so as more players discover the exciting world of iGaming in entirely new, potentially lucrative markets.
Just imagine running a Father’s Day campaign for your online casino or sportsbook all set to culminate on the third Sunday of June as America does, only to find out your target country celebrates it on an entirely different day. That’s a gaffe for the ages that could kill your brand’s credibility before it even gains a rep.
There are no bones about it: the best Father’s Day marketing campaigns for online casinos and sports betting are localized for global audiences for optimal effect.
Let’s take a look at some of the best Father’s Day marketing campaign strategies for your iGaming brand to pursue in the future.
Fun Fact #3: Commemorating dads every third Sunday in June originated in the United States. However, over 40 countries have their own special day to honor fathers.
Best Father’s Day Marketing Campaign Strategies for iGaming Companies
The concept of honoring one’s father is rooted throughout the history of human civilization; therefore, your iGaming brand ought to as well.
The critical thing to remember is that time is of the essence – and therefore, you should be planning your Father’s Day campaign well before the actual date.
We’ve put together a list of Father’s Day campaign ideas that online casinos and sportsbooks can take inspiration from.
1. Spark Wholesome, Warm Emotions for Dad (Without Being Smarmy)
Father’s Day is a day to commemorate our affection and warmth to our dads. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that most ads for Father’s Day tug at the heartstrings, with a warm, often lighthearted, and sentimental tone suited for the occasion.
That doesn’t mean you should fall into the trap of being insincere or overly smarmy because that’s not what this is all about.
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For instance, this Nike ad manages to convey all the necessary sentiments typically associated with Father’s Day, without being sappy – while also acknowledging those of us who grew up with father figures, who may or may not even be men. It’s not too preachy, either.
Good iGaming marketing should link an online sportsbook or casino brand and not make the same trite platitudes we hear during Mother’s Day. Many brands fail at linking their brands with the positive aspects and values of being a father, rather than opting to go the Hallmark route with discernable ingenuity.
The best Father’s Day ads are simple, effective, and extol the joy of fatherhood with real emotion, real people, and real stories. It’s simple, it’s effective, it’s route one – but it’s what builds that emotional connection your brand needs to make the most out of Father’s Day without being overly sentimental.
2. Special Slot/Poker Tournaments
Tournaments are a great way to foster a communal yet competitive spirit among iGaming connoisseurs, where participants stand to earn points by playing poker or slots, as losses are rolled over into the jackpot.
Father’s Day is a fantastic opportunity for online sportsbooks and casinos to play up the occasion as an opportunity for dad to relax and enjoy a thrilling game of poker.
Fun Fact #4: The most popular gifts for Father’s Day include sporting goods like fishing rods and golf clubs, hardware, and shirts and/or ties.
3. Product Personalization
We already know that one of the toughest challenges for iGaming brands is retaining players, your dad included – and offering a bespoke, personalized user experience is one of the keys to doing so.
It’s a common practice for online sportsbooks and casinos to offer exclusive promos, and a tried and tested one at that – and Father’s Day is yet another opportunity for them to enjoy a good one on the house. A well-placed, personalized offer may just be what dads need on this special day, particularly juicy bonuses for slots, free spins, or even giveaways.
4. Father-and-Son Contests and Activities
Contests make for great campaigns on Father’s Day, especially if we’re talking about those that involve fathers and sons.
Offering a jackpot for, say, two tickets to see the Manchester Derby with dad provides an opportunity for fathers and sons alike to bond over the games they wish to enjoy.
Moreover, when pulled off correctly, the experiences that fathers and sons get to enjoy during one of your contests make great memories for them. They will then further associate those positive feelings with playing at your online casino.
Being empathic about your players’ needs goes a long way, and creating valuable moments can turn flaky clients into future brand advocates.
Fun Fact #5: Father’s Day isn’t the only holiday celebrating men. International Men’s Day is celebrated in many countries on November 19 in honor of both men and boys.
5. Hit the Social Media
Promos, discounts, offers, and referrals are tested ways to draw attention to your brand. But the real action is on social media.
Not only does social media provide an entirely new universe to promote your online casino’s games and service offering, but it also provides an unparalleled opportunity to engage with your players directly.
And, if your iGaming brand has leveraged and taken care of your relationships long enough, you will agree that building fruitful relationships with your players is worth all the effort it takes to grow it organically.
There’s no better tool than social media to engage players in a meaningful, interactive, and immediate way (as demonstrated below).
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Social media hashtags, contests, and promotions are all the rage, and it takes time, effort, and loads of creativity to successfully pull off localized iGaming social media marketing campaigns.
Think of clever campaign hashtags to use with your iGaming brand, and think of how you can create a personalized experience for your target audience and their dads that will help build an emotional connection with your brand way ahead of the big day.
Also, don’t forget to use videos. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram can be harnessed to create immediate brand connections through engaging, oftentimes fun video content. That’s not to mention the filters, the dances, and the trends that brands can use as Father’s Day content ideas.
The key takeaway is that players wish to connect with brands they identify with and love. And when iGaming brands initiate the first conversation, it inspires enduring brand loyalty and continued engagement.
Conclusion
We’ve barely scratched the surface of the possibilities of creating engaging, impactful Father’s Day online casino promotion ideas with this guide – but it will be more than enough inspiration for you to head back to the drawing board.
We hope you manage to create a powerful iGaming campaign for fathers and sons alike – one that is creative, one that is sincere, one that features real people, creativity, and emotions in all of them, while sticking to a unified narrative that doesn’t go overboard with the feelings and emotions.
There’s nothing wrong with using the classic tropes – in fact, you should be heavy on the emotion – but when you do, make sure you personalize them. Make it pop, and make it count.
Header Image Source: Photo by Richard Boyle on Unsplash
How did you like Sebastian Scheplitz’s blog post “Father’s Day iGaming Marketing Done Right”? Let us know in the comments if you have anything to add, have another content idea for iGaming blog posts, or just want to say “hello.” 🙂
