The ‘Sounds Like OJO Time’ multi-platform campaign features people experiencing the SkillOnNet-owned operator’s jingle in unexpected ways across a range of different situations, such as from the ping of a microwave, car alarms and airport intercoms. 

These situations will signal the start of ‘PlayOJO’ as these people become surrounded by a transformed environment featuring an explosion of upbeat music, energetic dance, crazy characters and inanimate objects coming to life. 

Peter Bennett, Global CMO of PlayOJO, stated: “We really like how Motel took one of our strongest and most distinctive brand assets and built on that to create a uniquely fun and impactful new creative platform. 

“We love how the new campaign reflects PlayOJO’s distinctive creative style and reinforces the brand’s positioning. Now the PlayOJO sonic can come from anywhere – a microwave, an airport intercom, a referee’s whistle – the fun can start literally anywhere, anytime.”

The online casino operator partnered with London-based creative agency Motel to produce each advert, with the films each centred around PlayOJO’s three-note sonic logo and its ‘feel the fun’ tagline. 

PlayOJO has launched a number of seasonal marketing campaigns in the past, including producing a campaign revolving around Safer Gambling Week as well as a Halloween-themed advert this time last year.

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The cross-industry initiative to promote safer gambling in the United Kingdom and Ireland is centred around the ‘let’s talk about safer gambling’ tagline, and runs from Monday 13 November to Sunday 19 November.

To align with this, PlayOJO’s latest advertising push is centred around four videos that display seven instances when too much of a good thing can quickly turn bad. These will be shared across the operator’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels, including a dedicated blogspot.

The SkillOnNet powered online casino stresses that it is striving to “set a high standard for safer gambling practices” through a series of tools and information to ensure players stay in control of their playtime and gamble safely.

These include Safe Mate, which provides players with a complete picture of their play and is designed to make it easier to know gambling habits while sticking to a budget and spotting any changes in their play that may need attention.

“We are longstanding supporters of Safer Gambling Week and like previous years, this year we wanted to run an additional paid social campaign that would help increase awareness of safer gambling above and beyond the SG week,” noted Peter Bennett, CMO at PlayOJO.

“To do this, we needed to create something that we felt would stand out and reach players on the channels they spend time on, to ensure our message hits the widest possible audience.

“This is a quirky and fun campaign which aligns with our overall brand positioning but with a clear main message about why players need to stay in control of their play – too much of anything can be bad.”

Earlier in the month, Rob Fletcher, Founder & Executive Creative Director of Isobel, spoke to SBC Leaders about the direction his team took for PlayOJO’s latest ad campaign.

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When Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus in 1818, she couldn’t possibly have imagined the cultural impact it would have. From films, plays and comics, to songs, toys, video games and even breakfast cereals, Shelley’s creation has since appeared almost everywhere.

That the list now extends to an advert for an igaming operator is down to creative agency Isobel. Tasked with designing a television ad for an integrated campaign to promote PlayOJO’s live casino and game show offering, they produced a fun 20-second clip in which Frankenstein’s Monster is brought to life by the games.

Isobel’s Founder & Executive Creative Director explained: “The brief from PlayOJO was to promote the new live casino and games. Games that are real time versions where you play with a live host. 

“Creatively this leads you down the path to the actual word ‘live’ and then it’s just a question of what things in popular culture are ‘live’. The scenes from countless horror films where Frankenstein reanimates a monster and shouts ‘It’s Alive!’ was one of those cultural moments. 

“From there, it’s ok so could Frankenstein’s Monster come ‘alive’ when he encounters the PlayOJO casino and games.”

Another key consideration in the creative process was staying true to PlayOJO’s brand voice, as since its launch in 2017, the casino has worked hard to establish an identity as a fun, sociable destination.

“The reanimated monster was a good fit for the PlayOJO brand, his reanimation took him from being a plain black and white unanimated monster to a full colour upbeat, dancing, fun monster. This sits very well with the fun that PlayOJO stands for,” Fletcher said.

“The dancing monster is a bit daft, and daft is always fun!”

Is the fun element designed to appeal to players of other brands’ live casino games or to players yet to try such products? Fletcher hopes it will engage both groups.

“I think live games are exciting and a new development that technology has allowed to happen,” he said. “Playing live is available with other brands, but I think PlayOJO recognises you don’t get a balloon if you’re not at the party!”

Education + Entertainment

While playful and fun is great for grabbing the attention of would-be players, an advert has to inform as well as entertain to be truly effective. With only 20 seconds to achieve both goals, getting the balance right is a tricky task that requires a particular mindset.

“All good advertising starts at a strategic level. The product or service should be integral to your idea. The product or service is the catalyst to the narrative or the answer to the narrative,” Fletcher said. 

“With the monster, it’s PlayOJO that creates the narrative of the monster coming to life. Therefore, the product isn’t bolted on at the end but intrinsic to the action. It’s not a question of balance but far more a question of a genuine reason the product is integral to the entertainment.”

And Isobel’s creative mastermind believes that audiences can expect to see online brands using this approach on television for some time to come, despite the medium seeing a decline in the proportion of ad spend that it attracts. 

“TV is still the best medium for communicating emotion. And emotional response is still the biggest driver with consumers,” he said. “Awareness can be built across channels, but the question isn’t, ‘do I know you?’, it’s ‘do I like you?’ as well.”

Embracing regulation

Another thing that will not be going away is the strict regulations governing gambling advertising. 

It would be easy to assume that for an agency with a client base that encompasses FMCG, furniture and hotel brands, those regulations would prove taxing. Fletcher, however, sees things differently. 

He said: “The regulations in the gaming category are quite rightly fairly strict. If brands are to continue marketing their services then we should conform and applaud the regulations. 

“They are to protect the consumer from normalising a product that carries potential risks. The trick is to not try to work around the regulations, but enforce them ourselves.”

That method of working does not preclude genuine creativity though, even if Fletcher believes it is often missing from gambling advertising.

“I believe the gambling sector is caught in a loop. There seems to be a collective gambling ad tone of voice and behaviour type,” he suggested. 

“There is little originality, everything looks and talks like everything else. Anything that stands out from this is good in my view.”

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Going live last Friday, the new ad campaign uses movie tropes of mad scientists bringing to life monsters, while also highlighting the SkillOnNet brand’s live casino and gameshow products.

During the ad, a monster comes alive when he plays the PlayOJO live casino before being transported into a CGI gaming world.

Developed by London-based creative agency Isobel, the campaign is expected to go live in other markets later this summer. 

Peter Bennett, CMO of PlayOJO, commented: “We want PlayOJO to be the first choice for players looking to enjoy the thrill and excitement of a live casino experience online and are therefore very excited to launch our new integrated campaign showcasing the fun and vibrancy of our live casino product.”

Since launching in 2017, PlayOJO has positioned itself as a “fairer” online casino with “no wagering requirements and no hard-to-follow terms and conditions”.

Past ad campaigns have included characters such as ‘Clint’, a “mean-spirited rogue PlayOJO employee who resigns in disgust at the downright fairness of it all”, a dancing Alpaca, a ‘thumbs up’ and the currently ongoing ‘Madame OJO’.

PlayOJO’s live casino offering includes dozens of table game variations and popular game shows such as Crazy Time, Monopoly Live, and Mega Wheel.

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The SkillOnNet subsidiary was nominated for the ceremony’s ‘Best Use of Social Media Entertainment’ category, pipping the three television companies to the prize for its “Safe Bets” campaign, a safe sex spoof.

PlayOJO’s promotional ad-reel features former Love Island contestant Olivia Bowen, sporting a lab coat as she gives various safer gambling tips in a manner akin to 80s-style sex education videos.

“It is an absolute privilege to once again be recognised by the UK Social Media awards,” stated Peter Bennett, CMO at PlayOJO.

“Having picked up two awards at last year’s event, we are proud to have been able to continue our great work in engaging our audience via social media.

“In a continuing theme, this year’s campaign was also focused on responsible and safer gaming, something we, as one of the UK’s top online casino and bingo operators, are striving to lead the pack on. 

“Player safety is at the forefront of everything we do as a business and is an important part of our advertising and social media strategy.”

Furthermore, the reality star outlines players’ ability to “tame your sessions and enjoy safe bets”, using the company’s deposit limits, Take a Break function and Safe Mate virtual assistant.

The campaign was aided by social media agency Cubaka and allowed players to apply their “Safe Bets” knowledge in a quiz, which gave away PlayOJO condoms with packaging that had different play on words connecting safer sex to safer gambling. 

Bennett added: “I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank not just the amazing team and agency Cubaka, but also the judges for recognising what we set out to achieve with our Safe Bets campaign.”

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The link-up between the companies will see SkillOnNet gain access to a selection of mine and multiplier titles from Gaming Corps’ suite of games, including Coin Minder, Clumsy Witch, Skyliner and JetLucky2.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet, commented: “Online casino players are looking for new online casino experiences alongside playing traditional slot games, and this deal with Gaming Corps allows us to strengthen our portfolio with more quality slots as well as next-generation mine and multiplier titles.

“It is integrations such as this that ensure the online casino brands powered by SkillOnNet remain ahead of the curve and continue to not only meet but exceed player expectations through the vast selection of slots and casino content that we stock in our game lobbies.” 

Moreover, as part of the partnership, the aforementioned games will now be accessible to players at casinos across the SkillOnNet network, including brands such as PlayOJO, Slotsstars, Genting Casino, Spin Genie, EU Casino, Mega Casino and AHTIGames. 

Danielle Calafato, Head of Commercial at Gaming Corps, explained: “Being fully integrated with a reputable and experienced industry player such as SkillOnNet is a great opportunity for Gaming Corps, making our games available to tier one brands such as PlayOJO for the very first time.

“It is our ambition to provide an exciting game portfolio inspired by Gaming, sporting the most modern game concepts and custom branded titles that deliver unique player experiences which engage and entertain in equal measure. 

“We are confident that our versatile portfolio will prove to be popular with players at casinos across the SkillOnNet network.”

SkillOnNet’s agreement with Gaming Corps follows on from the firm’s similar strong start to July, which witnessed the operator group ink a deal with Raw iGaming’s recently acquired studio Leander Games. 

The deal saw Leander’s titles, such as Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, Ave Caesar, Fortune Teller’s Charm, Pearls of Poseidon and Ways of the Labyrinth, launch on the operator’s subsidiary of online casino sites.

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The campaign from the SkillOnNet powered online casino brand aims to drive awareness of PlayOJO’s casino and bingo products and was developed by creative agency McCann Demand. 

“PlayOJO is a destination – a place where players come to have fun, be entertained and hopefully win some money,” commented Peter Bennett, Global Head of Brand for PlayOJO.

“We want PlayOJO to become the brand famous for making the player experience as fun as possible, for doing more of the stuff we know players love.

“This includes things like wagering free bonuses, having thousands of slots, live casino and bingo games, giving money back on every bet and having restriction-free winnings, and removing all the things that get in the way of them feeling good like fake bonuses, shifty small print and minimum withdrawals.

“We are really excited about the new creative platform and look forward to rolling it out across the markets and updating it on a regular basis to keep our messaging fresh.”

PlayOJO’s new advertisement campaign is based around Madam OJO, described as a “fabulous, larger-than-life character who embodies the positive ‘OJO feeling’”.

The campaign, which will be rolled out into other markets where PlayOJO operate – with Spain scheduled to be next – is the operator’s first since PlayOJO repositioned its global brand with a new logo and tagline – “feel the fun”.

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As part of the deal, players using PlayOJO, PlayUZU, GentingCasino, SpinGenie, Slotsstars and MegaCasino, will gain access to Leander’s suite of slot including Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, Ave Caesar, Fortune Teller’s Charm, Pearls of Poseidon and Ways of the Labyrinth.

“These games from one of the most in-demand content providers need no introduction. They are proven player favourites in key regulated markets around the world,” explained Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet.

“This made the addition of its games an absolute must for us, and we look forward to seeing players across the SkillOnNet network of brands enjoy the thrills its slots have to offer. It is partnerships such as this that ensure we remain a leading operator of award-winning casino brands.”

Said to be popular in the UK, Netherlands, Germany and Argentina, the addition of the providers titles will take SkillOnNet’s game lobby to over 3,500 titles, covering classic and video slots, along with jackpots, table games, live dealer, bingo and instant win games. 

Tom Wood, RAW iGaming’s CEO, added: “We are delighted to partner with SkillOnNet and launch our portfolio of games across multiple markets. 

“Our three pillars; differentiation, simplicity and entertainment drive us to deliver games that players want to keep playing and we know that will resonate across SkillOnNet’s many brands.”

As previously mentioned, the link-up with Leander Games follows on from Raw iGaming’s recent acquisition of the studio earlier this year. 

As part of the acquisition, Raw witnessed its SuperSlice games launch in regulated markets, utilising Leander’s customer base across Europe and South America, along with the introduction of a new aggregation business.

Moreover, last month witnessed SkillOnNet partner with Neccton that saw the latter integrate its mentor software into the operator’s numerous brands. 

Via the partnership, the mentor software was implemented onto SkillOnNet properties, such as PlayOJO, SpinGenie and SlotsMagic.

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Following the recent additions of SkillOnNet’s operator brands – SpinGenie, PlayOJO and SlotsMagic – in Ontario, titles from Bragg’s exclusive slots catalogue will be available to players using the aforementioned platforms. 

“We are pleased to further extend our successful partnership with SkillOnNet to Canada through the launch of our proven portfolio in the very promising Ontario market,” explained Chris Looney, Chief Commercial Officer at Bragg. 

“This latest collaboration will play a significant role in our growth trajectory in North America. In particular, we have high ambitions to become a leading supplier across Canada and see great potential for long-term growth in the region.”

Titles that will become available to SkillOnNet’s online casino brands will include games from Bragg’s in-house studio, Atomic Slot Lab, as well as other exclusive titles curated by Oryx Gaming.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet, added: “Having recently received the green light to enter Ontario, it is crucial that we quickly build a strong content portfolio to ensure we have a premium offering for our local customers. 

“With Bragg’s array of titles, we know we can provide players with great excitement and entertainment.”

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As part of the deal, Nolimit City’s suite of slots, such as Mental, San Quentin xWays and Tombstone R.I.P., will be integrated onto SkillOnNet’s catalogue of casino sites, including PlayOJO, Slingo.com, SlotsMagic, SpinGenie, Genting Casino and DrueckGlueck.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games from SkillOnNet, explained: “Nolimit City has a large and loyal player following thanks to the incredible mechanics that the team has created and integrated into its slots and in particular xWays and xNudge which provide unprecedented thrills and excitement.

“These mechanics are combined with stunning design that ensures players remain engaged with each slot from the first game round to the last. This makes Nolimit City an excellent addition to our growing portfolio of the best online casino content in the market.” 

Moreover, players utilising the aforementioned sites will also gain access to Nolimit’s series of xMechanics, which include xWays, xNudge, xWays, xSplit, xBomb and infectiousxWays.

The addition of Nolimit City takes the SkillOnNet game portfolio past 3,500 titles covering classic slots, video slots, jackpot slots, table games, instant win, live dealer and bingo.

“SkillOnNet powers a network of the most popular online casino brands in markets across Europe and we are delighted to see our games made available to players on the entire SkillOnNet Network for the first time,” added Malcolm Mizzi, CCO & MD at Nolimit City.

“We have developed a portfolio of slots that appeal to a wide range of players via different themes, volatilities, mechanics and features – there really is something for everyone and this widespread appeal will ensure they become firm player favourites at SkillOnNet’s roster of casino brands.”

SkillOnNet holds licences in core European markets including the UK, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Malta jurisdictions as well as Latin American markets such as Peru, Chile and most recently Mexico.

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