NATIVE AUDIO CONCEPT

TitleNATIVE AUDIO CONCEPT
BrandODDSET
Product/ServiceSPORTS BETTING
Category B02. Use of Audio Platforms
Entrant SERVICEPLAN GERMANY Munich, GERMANY
Idea Creation MEDIAPLUS Munich, GERMANY
Media Placement MEDIAPLUS Munich, GERMANY
Production NEVEREST München, GERMANY
Additional Company SERVICEPLAN GERMANY Munich, GERMANY
Additional Company 2 FACIT RESEARCH Munich, GERMANY
Additional Company 3 MEDIASCALE GERMANY Munich, GERMANY
Credits
Name Company Position
Alex Schill SERVICEPLAN GERMANY Global Creative Director
Jochen Lenhard MEDIAPLUS GERMANY Managing Partner
Sabrina Duchow MEDIAPLUS GERMANY Creative Media Manager
Hans Zieringer MEDIAPLUS GERMANY Art Director
Wolfgang Bscheid MEDIASCALE Managing Partner
Martina Staudinger MEDIASCALE Managing Director
Christian Alexander MEDIASCALE Digital Media Planner & Consultant
Caroline Franke MEDIASCALE Group Head Digital Media
Chris Hirschhaeuser Freelance Freelance

Why is this work relevant for Media?

ODDSET, the sports bookmaker brand of German LOTTO, was seeking to increase its brand affinity. Radio is enjoying great popularity and is increasingly being listened to over smart speakers. These speakers make innovative audio formats and interactive approaches to the listener possible. Based on responsive advertisements, the first interactive native audio concept was developed and became a new form of advertising in online radio. During the podcasts, listeners had the option of returning to the radio programme at any time or continuing the podcast whenever they wanted. We offered interactive, added value with our native audio concept.

Background

There are many competitors active in the German sports betting market. Advertising expenses, at €240 million, were similarly high. ODDSET, the sports bookmaker brand of the German LOTTO, had only a small share of 1.8% of them. Most sports bookmakers make their presence known predominantly through TV, online and mobile. That is why ODDSET aims to distinguish itself by using media innovatively. Since ODDSET’s introduction, the bookmaker’s focus has been on guaranteeing a genuine, manipulation-free offering for sports betting rather than maximising profits. For this reason, ODDSET can only be played with a customer card in physical LOTTO betting shops. Online or mobile sports bets cannot be placed with ODDSET, though they can be prepared these ways. ODDSET is seeking to celebrate its 20-year anniversary to increase brand affinity for the publicly owned gaming offering and is looking to position itself as a modern brand with many years of tradition.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

Since the introduction of ODDSET in 1999, there have transpired many exciting stories and sporting highlights from prominent partners from along the way. It is easy to see that ODDSET has much to tell! For its 20-year anniversary, ODDSET wanted to look back at its long history without appearing too nostalgic. The anniversary was ODDSET’s starting point for communication and is planned to play a main role throughout the year in order to make ODDSET a topic of conversation and position the bookmaker as likeable and authentic among people who are interested in or place sports bets. Given all the content, a content strategy proved suitable as the central campaign element. A native advertising campaign for print, online and mobile media was conceived, yet that was not enough. We developed an innovative campaign element for ODDSET in the form of the first native audio ad concept.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

ODDSET’s editorial content was translated into audio in the form of approximately 10-minute long interview podcasts with exciting interviewees. The entertaining and informative interview format conveyed the ODDSET product features to listeners without coming across as advertising. Even if more than 10 million users already listen to a podcast at least once per week, a classic podcast did not promise sufficient reach and attention. It was for this reason we transformed the classic radio advertisement into an interactive advertisement with an integrated podcast. This new advertisement format was played on smart speakers using high-reach skills in the RMS radio broadcaster portfolio. In Germany, such speakers are already actively used by 11.5 million people regularly. The ODDSET podcast interviews became available to listen to on-demand at any time via smart speaker. A perfective addition to the visual content in trade and public press.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Three exciting interviewees podcasts were successfully produced for the native audio concept. Each interview lasted approximately 10 minutes. They were broadcast in three back-to-back campaign periods using the skills of high-reach RMS radio broadcasters. To ensure that the podcasts were broadcast over smart speakers, a skill for the smart speaker had to be developed for the podcasts. This skill made it possible to access the podcast and, by extension, the native campaign. The podcasts were made part of a classic radio advertisement. Reference was made to the podcast and the relevant interviewee during the introduction, with a short description of how to activate it. For example: ‘Alexa, start ODDSET anniversary’. When listeners followed the invitation and accessed ‘ODDSET anniversary’, they came to the relevant interview podcast. The listeners had the option of returning to the radio programme at any time or continuing or reloading the podcast whenever they wanted.

List the results (30% of vote)

That’s how radio works today! Innovatively and flexibly for the listener! With the native audio concept, the aural medium of radio can now also be used for editorial formats that add value interactively. ODDSET, the sports bookmaker, is enjoying improving results for its brand affinity (+105 per cent), brand awareness (+122 per cent) and, most importantly, consumer willingness to place a bet (+31 per cent).* * compared to non-listeners