The doors to online sports betting were about to open in one of the deep states of idiosyncratic fandom — Ohio.
Could we break through the line of legacy American sportsbook brands and secure Europe-based newcomer Tipico a seat in the top five? Could we do it in six weeks? How about six weeks AND a small budget while the major industry names opened a fire hydrant of cash?
We scoured Reddit forums, Ohio meme Instagram accounts, Facebook posts, Twitter threads, and more to get a taste for the rhythm, language, dreams, and nemeses of the Ohio sports bettor.
We then harnessed AI to create Ohioan personas — Jay “The VIP Bettor”, Alex “The Ambitious Amateur”, Josh “The Social Bettor” — tapping into authentic Ohio traditions, rivalries, and personality.
From that crash course on the Buckeye State came “Bet Like You’re From Ohio” — a campaign that used a hyperlocal art and storytelling approach that spoke the unique language of Ohioans.
As residents of a “flyover” state, Ohioans are used to being dismissed as ‘average,’ but we knew our audience was anything but. Focusing on the three key cities of Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, we created a campaign that spoke to Ohioans the same way they speak to each other. We activated across our audience’s entire connected ecosystem, including digital, social, and traditional media along with the app itself, and in partnership with MLS’s Columbus Crew by deploying OOH and in-stadium screens. We firmly rooted the brand in the landmarks that mean the most to local fans and extended the campaign through league-specific fandom moments, like the MLB season opening and the
Super Bowl.
On a budget nowhere near its legacy competitors, Tipico ultimately met an impossible ambition — securing the Europe-based newcomer as a fierce challenger to the legacy American sportsbooks.
- In one month, 57% of Tipico’s annual 2023 target registrations were hit (40K)
- 30K First time deposits
- 32% Share of voice in Ohio
- Achieved top 5 Sportsbook in Ohio
- The Drum Award Winner for Best Use of AI
