Article by Vikki McCausland, Head of Account Management
In a lot of industries, the first few weeks of the year are about catching up with the ‘let’s circle back in January’ tasks and slowly easing your way back into your work routines.
In iGaming, especially within marketing departments, January provides no such luxuries. This is the time of year when iGaming companies and marketing teams have to be at the top of their games. Why are we so busy, you ask? One word: ICE.
Building Momentum
ICE is the industry’s premier event. It brings together iGaming’s biggest names and companies under one roof.
While the event may be the best part of a month away, the companies that will perform best in Barcelona are those that are planning. It is not enough to simply show up and attend the event; the companies that will succeed in Barcelona are those that have thought ahead, crafted their narratives, and have a clear strategy.
To say ICE can feel like an Olympic event might feel like an exaggeration, but anyone who has spent their time running up and down those halls will know how tough those few days can be.
It is competitive. People are vying for attention, and trying to grab people spontaneously on the day can be even more difficult. A carefully considered pre-ICE marketing plan can be highly effective in saving you time and ensuring you schedule the talks and the time you need.
Releasing News
From a news perspective, ICE can also be another minefield. Everyone has some sort of announcement to make, and generating buzz, especially for smaller businesses, is challenging, to say the least.
Getting ahead of this and building momentum as you head into the event is a much smarter strategy. With so much competition for headlines and attention during ICE week, making major announcements before the event and securing some pre-ICE exposure can be a brilliant way to stand out.
The effects of this are two-fold: firstly, you do not have to compete with major companies that can dominate headlines if they drop big announcements during the event. Secondly, getting attention ahead of the event means that you have a talking point for it and that you can secure the kinds of meetings you want ahead of time.
A Structured Narrative
The smartest businesses are the ones that do not just treat ICE as an isolated event. Their marketing departments, much like ours, go into ICE mode early and begin to build their narratives for the event. Whether this is pre-event announcements, Q&As or just social media buzz.
This continues after the event, as you shape the narrative around your announcements and develop future plans based on any discussions and new partnerships you have built.
Having this fully fleshed-out plan also signals to the wider industry that you are a serious participant, not just an opportunistic exhibitor seeking short-term attention and capitalising on industry chatter.
Getting your pre- and post-ICE strategy in place with no support can be challenging. At GameON, our work for ICE starts long before we sit down on that plane to Barcelona. We speak with our clients in the weeks and months leading up to the event, carefully planning the narrative they want to build and helping them capitalise on the opportunities the event can create.
A Victory Lap
ICE can, undeniably, be a time of stress and high activity. Still, with proper planning, it can be a productive few days where you can achieve everything you need to, chat to the people you want, and even enjoy a few sangrias in the Catalonia sun.
This planning should be a carefully curated roadmap covering press releases, editorials, social media, and booking management. Crafting this strategy requires exactly the kind of expertise our team is equipped to offer at GameOn.
When executed right, ICE should feel like a victory lap. A well-planned and executed exhibition that showcases your business and positions you precisely as you want to be. It should be the culmination of your efforts, not a last-minute scramble to make sure you can grab a tiny bit of time with potential partners.
