Tabcorp Marketing Campaign Pleads for Support, Seeks Sympathy

Marketing campaigns may serve many purposes, but they all aim at bringing the attention to one’s products. And the new marketing campaign by Tabcorp does exactly that, for all the good reasons.

The betting arm of Australian gaming company Tabcorp Holdings, TAB, has recently launched an advertising pitch that is seeking to exploit on bettors’ feelings by urging them to support the industry by placing a bet with TAB.

Seeking Sympathy, Yet Showing None

The ad is mainly directed towards the horse racing fans, claiming Tabcorp is returning to the industry 4 times more than any of its competitors, which are mostly European and UK gaming operators. Not a word that the company has almost a monopoly in the market, having acquired its rival Tatts Group. Instead, the message to local bettors is that by shunning rival companies in favor of TAB’s offerings, they will help support the local horse racing industry.

Pleading for the support of the local working people comes on the background of Tabcorp’s recent move to temporarily layoff more than 700 of its employees. As TAB agencies were affected by the closure of land-based gaming facilities, the company sought to reduce its costs by relieving people from its payroll.

Seeking to appeal to peoples’ patriotism during times when the global gaming industry is suffering due to the coronavirus outbreak and the implemented containment measures, could face criticism from those skeptical of the “good intentions” of the industry. Indeed, Tabcorp’s poignant video appeal might be off the mark there.

Rent Payment Suspension Request

There is no smoke without fire, as the saying goes, and Tabcorp is confirming it. As the Saturday Paper reported, the gaming operator sent correspondence to 374 commercial landlords, explaining how the company was experiencing significant disruptions due to the closure of its retail units, “respectfully” asking for a six-month suspension of rent and outgoing payments, from April 1 to September 30.

If the requested rent suspension is granted for its all 374 retail outlets, Tabcorp has estimated a total relief of AU$20 million will be achieved, a relief that will help the company re-launch  its business when the health crisis subsides and consumer confidence is restored.

Publicity with Players’ Money

The gaming operator made a AU$1 million donation to support the ongoing development of a vaccine for the virus by The University of Queensland’s School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences. It turned out though that the cash used for publicity was from unclaimed prize money.

The practice in such cases is to return the money to the players in the forms of bonus draws and promotions, but instead, Tabcorp decided to donate it and make a name for itself.