Author: Alan Gerrnon

I was perplexed. I’d just taken over as a marketing manager in the automotive industry and was querying a large marketing spend. The company had been advertising – at huge cost – in a national Sunday newspaper every week but it was clear from analytics that no leads or sales were coming from this medium.

“All our competitors also advertise in it,” was the reasoning behind it. I pulled the ads and moved it into digital, where sales conversions were robust. Within weeks, all the competitors had stopped advertising in the paper too. Over the years, I’ve seen many instances where clients have allocated large marketing budgets to media for no reason other than they always have done. Indeed, even if the spend is worthwhile it is often neglected and left to run independent of any analysis or amendments. While undertaking a marketing audit recently, I noticed a potential client had not logged into their Google Ads account in over a year, despite spending a considerable amount on a monthly basis.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has garnered much controversy of late, but it’s not a new phenomenon. After the financial crash in 2008, the Irish Government introduced an advisory committee dubbed ‘An Bord Snip Nua’. The group found €5.3 billion of savings, including 17,300 public service job cuts. 

Do you know how efficient your marketing spend currently is? How often does your company undertake a review of your marketing spend? And should you introduce your own version of DOGE to drill down into marketing spend?

Creating a marketing budget that effectively allocates resources is crucial for any business. Marketing is often seen as an expense rather than an investment, leading to underfunding or a misallocation of resources. By isolating marketing expenditures, companies can more easily track the return on investment of their marketing initiatives, making it easier to assess what works and what doesn’t. This data-driven approach enables businesses to allocate resources to the most effective strategies, increasing overall profitability. 

Keeping a close eye on marketing expenditures helps companies to maintain budget control, as without proper monitoring spending can quickly spiral out of control. Companies can avoid overspending by regularly reviewing budgets and adjusting plans based on performance metrics and changing marketing conditions. 

Establishing a system for monitoring marketing spend fosters accountability within the marketing team. When budgets are transparent and expenditures are tracked, and expenditures are tracked, team members are more likely to take ownership of marketing of projects and initiatives and be mindful of costs. 

Before monitoring marketing spend, it’s crucial to establish clear objectives. Defining what success looks like for each campaign is critical – whether it’s driving leads, increasing sales or enhancing brand awareness. For example, in the aforementioned automotive company a marketing budget of €100 was allocated to each car sale. So, if we spent €10,000 on a particular medium and it didn’t result in 100 sales, it would be deemed unsuccessful and continued spend on it would be reevaluated. 

In short, monitoring marketing spend is not just about keeping costs in check – it’s about maximising the effectiveness of marketing initiatives and driving growth. Please get in touch at [email protected] if you’d like us to undertake a marketing budget audit for your company to determine what is working and, just as critically, what isn’t. 

It wouldn’t have had as much impact with Darren Anderton, for example. But Cantona, Cantona was perfect. 

The first line -or pull back – of Nike’s 1994 advert was seemingly obvious and simple – “’66 was a great year for English football.” It came during a particularly painful period for football in England, with the national side failing to qualify for that year’s World Cup. Two years later, Baddiel & Skinner’s “Three Lions” lamented the 30 years of hurt since England’s only international tournament triumph. 

The second line – or reveal – was glorious. “Eric was born.” Nike’s campaign cleverly juxtaposed the famous 1966 World Cup victory by Sir Alf Ramsey’s side with the birth of the talismanic Frenchman, who would go on to become a legendary figure in English football. The ad highlights the idea that his arrival was a pivotal moment for the game in England and showcased Nike’s ability to connect with football culture and history. Overall, the campaign is an excellent example of how Nike uses storytelling and historical references to engage fans, promote its products and celebrate sport’s rich heritage.

Nike’s ability to connect with everyday soccer fans was again on display in their 1998 Park Life campaign. The commercial was filmed on Hackney Marshes, renowned for Sunday league football, and featured Cantona alongside contemporaries Ian Wright, David Seaman and Robbie Fowler. The campaign is still considered one of the brand’s most iconic and memorable marketing efforts, celebrating grassroots football and the culture surrounding it. 

Despite coming at the tail-end of the Britpop era, the campaign is also remembered for its catchy soundtrack featuring Blur’s “Parklife” – perfectly complementing the visuals and added to the nostalgic and energetic feel of the ad. The Park Life commercial cemented the brand as one that understood and embraced the culture of football at all levels of the game. 

In contrast, Nike’s Airport 98 campaign was more galactico than grassroots – taking the humdrum, mundane nature of an airport terminal into something unexpected and special. The campaign itself was the perfect example of ambush marketing, with Nike’s competitors Adidas an official sponsor of that year’s World Cup. Nike’s sponsorship deal with the Brazil national team was utilised with players such as Ronaldo, Romario, Roberto Carlos, Juninho and Denilson all starring. Behind the camera also featured a stellar team, led by Hong Kong director John Woo.

The campaign was so successful that post-tournament research showed that 32 per cent of viewers believed Nike to be official sponsors of France ’98, compared to 35 per cent for the actual FIFA partner Adidas. 

If Carlsberg did football commercials…well, they’d be as good as 2006’s Old Lions campaign. The beer brand compiled a team of England legends to play against a real pub team – who apparently had no idea who they were going to face. The team, with 796 international caps between them, were let lose in a largely unscripted 180-second piece. 

It was the interactive element of the campaign that proved revolutionary. A siginicant portion of the marketing spend was used to create interactive content, including outtakes, a ‘making of’ documentary and a longer commercial. It became the most successful interactive television campaign of all time, with agency Saatchi & Saatchi spending £0.36 to get a viewer interacting with the brand for at least four minutes. Carlsberg’s sales during that summer’s World Cup were four times higher than usual, with almost a quarter of those drinking the beer brand on the day of England’s first match stating they’d switched brand as a consequence of the campaign. 

“Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.” You and me both, Frank. 

None more so than not backing my own judgement. Over the course of the past 12 years, I’ve written hundreds of soccer match betting tips articles for bookmakers across the globe. A quick look back through them suggests I would be sitting on a beach, cocktail in hand, had I backed my own predictions. 

One, plucked at random, from May 2019 previewed Newcastle United v Liverpool as The Reds chased a first Premier League title. The final paragraph read, “In the famous words of a certain former captain, Liverpool can’t let this slip. They simply must win to avoid an anti-climatic finale to what’s been a terrific season. There have been some cracking ties between these two sides over the years and this could well be another one. It may not be another 4-3 classic, but a 3-2 win for Liverpool may be worth a speculative punt at a best price of 33/1.”

Divock Origi left it late but the Belgian’s 86th minute winner ensured the Premier League title race went to the last game. Final score? Newcastle United 2-3 Liverpool.

Of course, the majority of these articles like the one mentioned above were written for SEO and content management purposes. Such articles or blogs play a crucial role in enhancing the SEO performance of bookmakers’ websites. Relevant content on high-profile upcoming sports events is a cornerstone of effective SEO. Search engines prioritise websites that offer valuable information to users. Furthermore, incorporating sports betting tips enhances keyword optimisation. By strategically using keywords related to sports betting, bookmakers can improve their chances of ranking higher in organic search results. This keyword-rich content is critical in targeting specific user queries, making it easier to potential customers to find the bookmaker’s site. When users consistently find relevant and useful information, they are more likely to return, fostering brand loyalty. 

Betting tips can also keep content fresh, which is another important factor for SEO. Search engines favour websites that regularly update their content, as this indicates the site is active and relevant. 

As such, looking ahead to the weekend’s Premier League action Manchester United’s visit to Tottenham looks most intriguing. Dues to the inconsistency of both sides, there’s possibly not much value in match betting with Spurs at 11/8, United at 13/8 and a draw standing out at 11/4. With each side’s managers stubbornly sticking to their principles, despite results on the pitch, this has all the makings of a goal fest. Indeed, the sides have shared fourteen goals in their last three meetings.

Ange Postecoglou’s team have conceded more than the likes of Everton in the top flight this season but, incredibly, only Liverpool and Arsenal have scored more. Meanwhile, despite winning six of their last eight games in all competitions, Ruben Amorim’s charges have conceded first in nine of their last eleven games. Spurs to score first looks a shoo-in at around 10/11, while the hosts to lead at half-time looks a decent punt at 15/8. When United do find the back of the net, they often leave it late – seven of their last nine goals in the Premier League have come in the last 15 minutes. For in play betting, it may be worth backing the visitors to score next as the match approaches the 80th minute mark.

Will I be backing any of the above myself, you ask? Well, I just might regret it if I don’t. 

Many geographically-challenged football fans would be left scratching their heads at the former Tottenham defender Justin Edinburgh’s Musselburgh nickname. However, lying six miles east of the Scottish capital city’s centre, Musselburgh is of course just in Edinburgh.

His was just one of over a dozen players I covered in a pretty innocuous blog post for a bookmakers titled The Best Football Nicknames of All Time. 

Fitz Hall was in there, brilliantly nicknamed “One Size” by Oldham Athletic fans. Congolese-born Kiki Musampa had plenty of presence on Manchester City’s left-wing so Yule not be surprised to hear he was dubbed “Chris” by team-mates.

Once published, I forgot all about it and moved onto the next 1000-word article. Then, five years later I got an email from one of the bookmakers’ content team, querying if I’d shared the long-forgotten blog post. I hadn’t but it had suddenly – out of nowhere – attracted hundreds, if not thousands of visitors on a football-free June Saturday afternoon. It transpired that, sadly, Justin Edinburgh had passed away that day at the young age of 49. And near the top of the search rankings when football fans Googled his name was that bygone article.

The above is a crude, perhaps macabre, example of how blog posts can significantly enhance a website’s SEO performance over the long-term. One of the primary benefits of regularly publishing high-quality blog content is the increase in organic traffic. 

Moreover, blog posts enhance user engagement, which is a crucial factor for SEO. Engaging content encourages visitors to spend more time on a site, reducing bounce rates and signalling to search engines that the site is valuable. When potential customers find valuable content that addresses their needs or interests, they are more likely to convert into paying customers. Well-crafted content can lead users to sign up for promotions, take advantage of bonuses, or explore other betting options offered by the bookmaker.

Content marketing is an increasingly essential tool for bookmakers and gambling websites looking to prosper in a competitive industry. By creating valuable, engaging, and informative content, these businesses can build trust, enhance visibility, and drive conversions. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, those who invest in effective content marketing strategies will not only attract new customers but also foster loyalty among existing ones. Embracing this approach will position bookmakers as leaders in the market, ultimately contributing to long-term success and growth.

Content marketing allows bookmakers to engage with their audience on a deeper level. Through blogs, newsletters, and social media posts, they can foster a community of bettors who feel connected to the brand. Engagement can take the form of polls, quizzes, or indeed articles on footballers’ nicknames, making users feel valued and heard.

It may seem hard work and a thankless task, but you never know what potential customers will be searching for that leads to your site. In some cases, years later. 

As part of The Unit’s company restructure, its highly successful in-house marketing division will be launched as an agency serving iGaming and sports betting industries

31 JANUARY, 2025 – The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, has invested €500,000 to launch marketing agency tentenseven. This exciting transformation of The Unit’s in-house marketing division marks the latest step in its growth strategy and expansion roadmap.

Following an expansion in The Unit’s marketing offering, the marketing team will now operate as tentenseven, which will stand as its own entity. On top of paid search and marketing planning, tentenseven will offer SEO, PPC, social media, brand strategy, editorial content, influencer marketing services and social media production among its many areas of expertise.

Feargal Byrne, Director of Strategic Marketing at The Unit, will head up the new phase of growth at tentenseven as Director of iGaming, Ecommerce and Fintech.

In January, The Unit announced a refresh of its visual brand identity, including a new company logo and redesigned website, which reflected the company’s recent growth and ambitious expansion plans. These expansion plans were signified by the recent opening of The Unit’s North American hub in New York City. As part of the brand refresh, the company is focusing on product design and development, with the marketing side of the business now operating as a standalone agency.

Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “After kicking off 2025 with our brand refresh, we are redefining our structure as a business. With additional funding in place, we think now is the right time for tentenseven to stand in its own right as a marketing leader in the industry. With this investment, tentenseven has the means to grow and maximise its potential in the coming years. We expect to see tentenseven expand in the short and long-term, just as we expect with The Unit.

“In his time with The Unit, Feargal has demonstrated his ability to help clients develop their marketing strategies, establishing channel-level approaches across PPC, social and SEO. Feargal is perfectly positioned to run tentenseven and steward the company into this new and exciting era.”

Feargal Byrne added: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead tentenseven as Director of iGaming, Ecommerce and Fintech.

“This is an exciting period for The Unit as a company, and with this significant investment, tentenseven will have the capability to expand and make further headway in the market. That’s great news not just for us, but also for our clients. I can’t wait to get started on this project with the team and I look forward to putting our plans for tentenseven into action as quickly as possible.”

ABOUT THE UNIT:The Unit is an experienced product design and development company, headquartered in Ireland, Moldova and New York City, which builds innovative products and solutions for the sports betting and iGaming sector. The Unit’s dedication to create world-class, scalable products sets the company apart in key domains of expertise around product design and development, MarTech and innovation for the iGaming industry. The Unit has delivered a wide range of products and services for notable names such as PlayStar Casino, 10star, Low6, Sportingtech, TXOdds, and NorthStar Gaming.

ABOUT TENTENSEVEN:With a team of experienced marketing professionals, tentenseven specialises in a wide range of services, including digital marketing, brand development, content creation, traditional marketing, and social media management. The agency’s mission is to empower businesses to thrive in a competitive environment by leveraging advanced marketing techniques and data-driven insights.