By Clara Silva, journalist and collaborator from G&M News
How has the company strengthened communication with its customers in recent times? What new products or ideas did come up to stay up-to-date and active in the market and take advantage of the context?
Having only been in the role since April 2021, I would say we are just at the start of our journey of initiatives across Latin America. Given the Copa America (South American National Teams soccer competition), start of the local seasons and the Euro’s all happened this summer, we had to actquickly in some areas in order to be part of the conversation.Our strategy is evolving, and we have many different activities in the pipeline for the remainder of this year and in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
What digital marketing strategies did you use?
I think it depends how you want to use Digital Marketing. Is it a reach and more of a branding exercise or do you want to get really targeted and focus on performance? I am a big believer in utilizing content to stand out where possible and its then about getting the right partners on board to work with.
How did the company come up with the idea of hiring Cafu to be its brand ambassador? What results did you get so far?
We evaluated many options to kickstart wider activities for Rivalo. Our aim was to associate Rivalo with an ambassador that was well known across Brazil, but one that would also not split opinion. Cafu as the most capped Brazilian of all time, an ambassador for his Nation in his own right and an absolute gentleman. So he was the natural choice for us.He has not only brought credibility and stature to the brand, but he is also a fantastic person to work with when completing all of our content and partnership productions.
With global lockdown due to the pandemic, many online operators experienced huge growth. How did you take advantage of this particular context?
Land-based activities have obviously been affected a lot over the past 18 months. This naturally is going to accelerate the transfer of activity to online faster than we have previously seen. I do think there is still a place for offline.This will always be present, particularly in the casino space as it provides a unique entertainment experience. However,operators did need to ensure that they provide a strong online experience during this period. Those that were not prepared from a product perspective probably lost out on gaining market share to rivals.
How are you implementing the affiliates system? What advantages does Rivalo offer in Brazil?
The affiliate or -more precisely- the partnership model plays a big part in the acquisition mix for any operator, especially the smaller or new entry brands. This is an area that we are currently updating and will be in a good position to take advantage of opportunities throughout the next 12 months.
LATINAMERICAN MARKET’S TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENT
Today, in Latin America, there is a trend in which many bookmakers are sponsors of traditional football clubs. Why is this happening? How can bookmakers contribute to these clubs?
There is no getting away from it. Football as we know is the most popular sport to bet on and obviously carries a massive following as a result. One thing I have noticed so far is that the football fan in Brazil is definitely more tribal than elsewhere. Their team comes before anything else, even the National squad, so tapping in too these audiences can elevate your brand and get a quick awareness lift.I have worked with some of the biggest European clubs previously and it all boils down to what you want to achieve. You need to ensure that, within those contracts, you can activate the rights to the benefit of your brand. This normally carries a large cost as a result, so you have to weigh up what is the right option for your brand at any given time.
What is your point of view regarding LatAm gaming market development?
We all know that the Latin America market is evolving. It’s exciting like in the early days across Europe, when every brand was jostling for position. We have a license in Colombia and, obviously, more markets will follow suit over the next couple of years. I think if the regulators listen to the operators and work alongside them, the possibilities for the region as a whole are vast.Sportsbetting and, particularly, online casino are still in their relative infancy in Latin America, so I think there is a lot of headroom for growth.
Speaking about Brazil, how would you describe their players gambling behavior? What are their preferences?
Fundamentally, motivations for gambling are the same whatever region you operate in, and player traits are similar. What has struck me, however, are the different player values across the regions and how different they are by region and product. This is something I think operators have to understand quickly in order to position themselves correctly and ensure they provide the right service and offering to their desired audience.
THE ESPORTS DEVELOPMENT AND NEW CHALLENGES
Many operators have Esports in their catalog, a vertical that has been expanding in recent years. What is Rivalo Brazil’s position about them? What will be the future of this vertical?
I have had conversations on Esports as a betting medium for many years now. I am personally still not convinced, but I am sure there are others a lot more knowledgeable than myself in this area who could tell a different story. As for Rivalo, we offer Esports on site as part of our products catalog and will monitor any developments in this area.
What are your company’s plans for the next 12 months?
Our focus is very much developing our business in Colombia and Brazil, whilst looking at other opportunities to increase our awareness in different markets. Rivalo as a brand has been present in Latin America since 2015, and it’s important that we now cement our position as a leading operator.We have several things in the pipeline, as I mentioned, and we are constantly looking to improve our product offering for our existing and prospective player base. It will be a very exciting year for everyone involved with the brand.