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Virgin Bet unveils ‘A Good Bet’ campaign, continuing to build awareness, credibility and brand presence in South Africa, following its launch in the market earlier this year
The new campaign introduces Virgin Bet’s distinctive proposition to South African audiences, celebrating the enjoyment, entertainment and shared moments around sport
The integrated campaign launches at scale from 24 August, combining the mass reach of TV and OOH with sports programming and football sponsorships, and digital and social
Virgin Bet South Africa today launches ‘A Good Bet’, a new brand campaign celebrating the enjoyment and shared moments around sport and entertainment, as the brand steps up its presence in the South African market.
Developed by award-winning South African creative agency Joe Public and shot by Darling Productions, the campaign was made for the local market, reflecting how South African audiences actually experience sport betting and casino entertainment – from the excitement of watching a game and the thrill of casino play, to the conversations and shared moments that happen around both. ‘A Good Bet’ looks beyond winning, focusing on the enjoyment and entertainment of the overall experience rather than simply the outcome, while introducing South African audiences to what Virgin Bet stands for as a brand.
Gail Odgers, General Manager, Virgin Bet South Africa, said:
“We’re taking a considered approach to building Virgin Bet in South Africa. Right now, it’s about establishing the brand, building familiarity, and giving people a clear sense of what we stand for. Once we’ve built that foundation, we can start to place greater emphasis on our products and propositions, giving consumers more reasons to choose Virgin Bet.
“For us, it’s about building the brand in the right way and making sure we have a strong foundation to grow from. ‘A Good Bet’ is an important first step in that journey.”
The activity represents a significant investment in building Virgin Bet as a brand in South Africa, with this first phase focused on making the brand known, establishing its credentials and building familiarity with ‘A Good Bet’. As that foundation is established, Virgin Bet will place greater emphasis on its products and propositions, and broaden its channel mix over time.
The campaign is being rolled out across television, out-of-home, sports programming, digital, and social, with the start of the sporting season providing a key moment to build brand visibility.
Television will play a major role in reaching audiences at scale, with sport providing a strong contextual environment for Virgin Bet to connect with audiences. OOH will further build visibility beyond TV, while digital and social activity will extend the campaign’s reach and engagement across the channels audiences use every day.
Campaign TVCs are available here, including the 30-second film HERE and 20-second film HERE.
Chloe Coetsee, Director, Darling Productions, said:
“The idea was to hone in on the human truth of how a good bet really feels. The small, instinctive moments of celebration and delight. The slower frame rate meant we could suspend the performances just enough to give it a subtle but still cinematic confidence to cut through a category that usually shouts. It was great to work with a brand and creative team doing something so different in the category.”
Brendan Hoffmann, Executive Creative Director at Joe Public said: “To launch Virgin Bet in a highly competitive market we needed to make it look, sound and feel different to the usual betting ad. The TV ad is a celebration of what A Good Bet is – and that’s so much more than just winning. It’s the highs and lows, the excitement and anticipation, the big moments and little ones, brought to life in a uniquely Virgin way for a richly diverse South African target market.”
Virgin Bet launched in the United Kingdom in 2019 and has since grown into a leading betting brand in that market. Its entry into South Africa earlier this year was the brand’s first expansion outside the UK, and strengthens the presence of parent company LiveScore Group on the continent, alongside LiveScore Bet’s operations in Nigeria. Virgin Bet South Africa operates under licence from the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator.
Responsible gambling is central to the Virgin Bet South Africa platform. The brand provides a full suite of responsible gambling tools, including deposit limits, time-outs and self exclusion options for all customers, alongside rigorous age verification protocols. These are supported by dedicated local customer support teams, with further initiatives planned in South Africa to support safer gambling as part of Virgin Bet’s broader corporate social responsibility commitments.