The UK Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) has announced plans to ban the use of sports personalities and celebrities. These new stringent advertising policies have been introduced to clamp down on advertising activities that could target underage audiences. One suggestion for gambling brands to combat this could be with the adoption of micro-influencer marketing.
The role of the CAP
The CAP is involved in all aspects of regulation and standards for advertising. They ensure that all advertisers are creating responsible content for their brands, something crucial in the gambling industry.
These new changes come ahead of what is thought to be one of the biggest overhauls of the UK Gambling Act by the government since it was first introduced in 2005. For now, a gambling ad will be prohibited if it is thought to appeal to children more than adults. However, these new rules from the CAP will see any ad that could appeal to underage gamblers banned, regardless of how adults might view it.
This will see some of the latest ads such as those featuring Tottenham coach José Mourinho needing to be pulled. The tightening of red tape has also brought into question whether brands will wish to stay in the UK markets, with Betsson having already decided to withdraw many of its brands.
How brands can revise their marketing and ambassador approach to accommodate these new rules
The steps taken by Betsson are ones that many brands might have to consider taking in the future, but there are some changes that can still be made. One move the gambling industry could choose to make is towards the widespread use of micro-influencer marketing.
Many micro-influencers have gained a lot of power on platforms such as Instagram. They typically have between 1000 and 100,000 followers. This enables them to build a good following with high engagement and loyalty to the influencer in question.
Another big advantage of using micro-influencers over ones with larger followings is that they can reach this wide audience without commanding the same advertising fees you can typically see from the larger names. They are considered to be trustworthy by their followers, and it could provide the perfect opportunity for gambling brands who have had to let go of celebrity contracts.
Micro-influencers might not have the immediate appeal and recognition as a household celebrity or sporting figure, but they do have a high level of engagement and trust between themselves and their audiences. This is the type of relationship that brands need to be able to capitalise on as these stringent advertising policies come into force in the UK.
The hunt for new ambassadors
Choosing to find new faces for gambling brands amongst micro-influencers needs to be done sooner rather than later. These changes from the CAP and the wider government are underway, making now the perfect time for brands to adjust their marketing strategies. With the loss of well-known faces for gambling ads and marketing campaigns, turning to micro-influencing and other forms of marketing is going to be one of the best paths for brands to take.
