Case study: World Poker Tour
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The brief
Already the leading poker brand in the US, WPT wanted to launch in the UK market. Its plans were ambitious as the brand was unknown in the UK and WPT was looking to launch from both a brand and a brand licensing perspective. WPT’s award winning poker TV show was about to air on ITV in the UK and the company wanted to launch its online gaming site and also other franchise offshoots including mobile games, poker merchandise and ‘bootcamps'. We were tasked with working on an overall brand strategy and also creating individual partner plans as well as identifying new potential license partners. |
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What we did
We worked with WPT’s license partners - ITV and Hands On Games and also launched the online gaming site. We achieved broad consumer press coverage for the TV show, the online and mobile game and also the poker players as celebrities. Our aim was to position WPT as the poker authority. We kicked off the PR campaign with a series of press tournaments introducing WPT to the UK’s poker, lifestyle and national press. We developed these relationships to deliver regular and extensive coverage in lifestyle, regional, national and broadcast media. In addition to editorial coverage, Peppercom created commercial partnerships, including negotiating a deal with Future Publishing for production of the UK's highest circulation poker publication WPT Magazine.
We worked with WPT’s license partners - ITV and Hands On Games and also launched the online gaming site. We achieved broad consumer press coverage for the TV show, the online and mobile game and also the poker players as celebrities. Our aim was to position WPT as the poker authority. We kicked off the PR campaign with a series of press tournaments introducing WPT to the UK’s poker, lifestyle and national press. We developed these relationships to deliver regular and extensive coverage in lifestyle, regional, national and broadcast media. In addition to editorial coverage, Peppercom created commercial partnerships, including negotiating a deal with Future Publishing for production of the UK's highest circulation poker publication WPT Magazine.
The results
WPT became the most popular poker TV programme on UK TV, the WPTOnline game became one of the most played poker games in the UK both online and was one of the first real money mobile games. WPT’s brand extensions - its merchandise, its magazine and boot camps helped it successfully distinguish itself from other competitor brands such as Ladbrokes and Betfair who were gambling sites trying to get into poker.
WPT became the most popular poker TV programme on UK TV, the WPTOnline game became one of the most played poker games in the UK both online and was one of the first real money mobile games. WPT’s brand extensions - its merchandise, its magazine and boot camps helped it successfully distinguish itself from other competitor brands such as Ladbrokes and Betfair who were gambling sites trying to get into poker.