- BetMGM has announced plans for their first ever Super Bowl TV spot.
- The spot will feature legit legends Tom Brady and Wayne Gretzky along with actor Vince Vaughn.
- BetMGM will also host a Super Bowl party at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
It wasn’t too long ago that the idea of an online sports betting company advertising during the Super Bowl TV broadcast was laughable. Now, not so much. BetMGM has recently launched a teaser campaign, the first in a series of three, to promote its debut Big Game television advertisement. This campaign is noteworthy not only for its content but also for its star-studded cast, featuring the unique combination of football legend Tom Brady, hockey icon Wayne Gretzky, and actor Vince Vaughn. This alliance of sports and entertainment talents marks a significant milestone for BetMGM.
Matt Prevost, BetMGM’s Chief Revenue Officer, expressed his enthusiasm for this initiative:
“This year’s Big Game is our moment to put BetMGM front and center of the largest audience in sports. Our first-ever Big Game commercial showcases Las Vegas as home for the game as well as what we consider to be BetMGM’s home. We couldn’t be happier with the talent we have assembled for the ad, and the connection they have to our brand.”
We’re all adults here so can we please stop referring to it as ‘The Big Game’? Yeah, the NFL will have to stop enforcing their copyright of that name and that’s probably not going to happen. The Super Bowl has reached the point–good or bad–that it is a de facto national holiday in the US. Companies having to refer to it obliquely as ‘The Big Game’ is as stupid as if they had to refer to Easter as ‘Bunny Day’ or Christmas as ‘Santa Claus Mania’.
Anyway, the advertising campaign is a key element of BetMGM’s comprehensive strategy to enhance its brand recognition and appeal to diverse audiences. This strategy is not limited to the ad itself but extends to a series of events and promotions that BetMGM has lined up in the lead-up to the Big Game, scheduled for February 11. One of the major highlights is the BetMGM Big Game Bash at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, headlined by country music star Luke Combs. In a move to integrate their services with these events, BetMGM has made tickets to this highly anticipated concert available exclusively through its app.
Translation–BetMGM is holding on to the belief that there’s this massive, untapped audience of potential clients that has never, ever heard of sports betting before. In hopes of getting this elusive (and in my opinion virtually non-existent) demographic on board they’ll grasp at straws by using celebrities, actors and what passes for a ‘country star’ today aka Luke Combs. Sidebar: Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s ‘Fast Car’ ranks among the most wretched covers in the history of recorded music along with Gwen Stefani/No Doubt’s cover of Talk Talk’s ‘It’s My Life’. Pro tip: never record a cover by someone that has a substantially better voice and Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis most certainly did. I guess I should write ‘TRIGGER WARNING’ before I embed this video:
Moreover, the BetMGM Sportsbooks are set to become hubs for various VIP experiences, offering football fans unique opportunities to engage with the brand. These experiences include interactions with notable brand ambassadors, exclusive sweepstakes, and a range of interactive moments. These activities are not just confined to Las Vegas but are designed to resonate with football enthusiasts nationwide. Or at least that’s what the BetMGM press release wants us to believe.
This campaign and the accompanying promotional activities demonstrate BetMGM’s commitment to leveraging major sports events to strengthen its brand presence. By combining the allure of celebrity, the excitement of major sports events, and the appeal of exclusive experiences, BetMGM is positioning itself strategically to capture the attention of a wide and varied audience. This approach is reflective of the company’s understanding of the diverse interests of its customer base and its dedication to offering an engaging and comprehensive sports betting and iGaming experience. As BetMGM gears up for its first-ever Big Game commercial, the excitement and anticipation among sports betting enthusiasts and the general public are palpable, setting the stage for what promises to be a memorable event in the world of sports entertainment and gaming. (qv my comment above about the search for the mythical audience that has never heard of sports betting before).
Here’s a video of the teaser spot that will surely set off a massive influx of sports betting noobs.(TRIGGER WARNING for frequent use of the term ‘The Big Game’:
