Build it like Hollywood Bets

Desperately searching for somebody to blame for their own strategic incompetence, CEOs often turn the spotlight on sports betting brands as the 'singular' culprit (as if there is ever such a thing) for their poor performance (BTW - before sports betting the villain was 'port delays', before that it was 'load shedding', before that it was 'the Rand').

But rather than pointing fingers in disgust at the morally-corrupt, there's a lot that can be learnt from brands like Hollywood Bets as to how to build a powerful brand in 2026.

Spending in excess of a reported R750 million per year on media alone (out-of-home, TV and big sports sponsorship are prominent in their mix), the raging success of sports betting in South Africa, is in part, a result of a consistent and distinctive promotional campaign with a strong focus on market penetration and establishing brand salience.

What are they getting so right in their approach?

Hollywood Bets, you can safely declare, pretty much owns this particular shade of purple. Their billboard hoardings, even if glimpsed momentarily, are distinctive and easily recognisable as belonging to Hollywood Bets.

Their obscure 'yellow star device' manages to achieve a similar result, and as for the typeface and illustration elements...well, let's just say that they're successfully not overthinking things, which is exactly how they should be going about doing the job.

It might not be a popular statement to make, but sports betting brands are capturing a significant share of wallet in South Africa, because they are commanding an excess share of voice across all consumer categories. They're outspending every other brand and reaping the rewards.

So instead of whining about 'how unfair it is', other consumer brands can maybe analyse the Hollywood Bets brand building approach and use it to punch holes in their own limited marketing theories.

• Maybe increasing your promotional budget in the face of strong competition is wise investment into the future of your brand?
• Maybe choosing to increase the size of your design department (because you can now clearly see the value of design) is what's going to be a catalyst to improve notoriety?
• Maybe thinking that 'marketing is essential' and that posting on Instagram is simply not enough, will serve as a major part of your new outperformance reality?

Sports betting in South Africa is winning because sports betting brands are creating the conditions under which they are compelled to thrive.

Taking your brand building efforts seriously is how you do it. Don't hate the player...