All In! The Commercial Advertising of Off-Shore Gambling on Television

Transcription

1 All In! The Commercial Advertising of Off-Shore Gambling on Television

2 Research Team John McMullan, PhD Saint Mary s University Principal Investigator Delthia Miller, MA Project Manager/ Research Assistant Funding provided by The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation under an unrestricted research grant with Saint Mary s s University.

3 Sampling Strategies 6 6 Months: January July 2007 Cable Television Programs aired in Nova Scotia Gambling Prime Time Sports 461 Programs Recorded = 509 Hours 64 Commercials Retrieved that played 904 times (average of 5 ads per day)

4 Television Programs Program Type 8% 13% 7% 3% 3% 1%1%1% 30% 33% Gambling Sports Drama Entertainment Comedy News Reality TV Game Show Movie/Documentary Other 44% of all programs contained a gambling ad. Of these, there was an average of 3 ads per program

5 Advertisers & Products 57 (89%) of the 64 ads were on-line gambling providers. The majority of the 19 advertisers were on-line enterprises (73%) offered sites to learn and play. 60.9% utilized celebrities: FullTiltPoker.net novice and professional gamblers (in role of friends & competitors) PokerStars.net & Bet21.net endorsements from celebrity gamblers Gambling Products 80.0% 71.9% 60.0% 40.0% 20.0% 0.0% 12.5% Poker Blackjack Lotteries Sports Betting 6.3% 4.7% 3.1% 1.6% Casino Games Horse Racing

6 Intended Audience - Gender Percent 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Gender Males Females Both Males & Females No Gender Specified Average number of Human Images Males 7 Females 1 Voiceovers Male % Female 7.8% No Voiceover 7.8% Sexualized Imagery Males 0% Females 11%

7 Ethnicity, Age, & Gambling Status 528 people in total: 396 Caucasian (75%) 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Age 67% 16% 5% 2% Under Over 60 Gambling Status 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 47% 33% 20% Established Novice Unspecified

8 Ad Design Camera Positioning 100.0% 84.4% 71.9% 50.0% 0.0% 14.1% Close-Up Medium Shots Long Shots Pace of Ad 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 50.0% 42.2% 7.8% Fast Slow Combination

9 Ad Design Sound 100.0% 80.0% 60.0% 40.0% 20.0% 0.0% 90.6% 50.0% 20.3% Music Ambient Electronically Enhanced Colour 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 46.9% 31.3% 12.5% 9.4% Bright Dark Neutral Contrasting

10 Ad Design Language Level 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 51.6% 46.9% 1.6% Conversational Neutral Not Applicable Emotion Responsible Gambling Messages in 26.6% of Ads 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 59.4% Excitement 45.3% Humour

11 Skill vs. Luck Skill over Luck was mobilized in the ads (53.1%) Frequent references to practice, strategy and intelligence Conveys the idea that bad luck will not prevail, playing longer will increase your odds of winning, and gambling outcomes are controllable Example: Horseshoe Ad

12 Normalization 50% of ads signified gambling as a normal, routine behaviour Regular and constant activity - Guy s s Night for Poker; Tournaments and Competitions Transnational and Multicultural Example: Cursing Ad

13 Personal Transformation Message of Personal Transformation appeared in 42.2% of the ads Gambling life changing force that could alter social status (popularity, friendships, rubbing shoulders with cultural icons) Example: Play for Team Canada 1 Ad

14 Winning 37.5% of ads emphasized potential for material gain Cash (millions of dollars) Prizes (vacations, seats at gambling tournaments) Winning marketed as simple, likely, and substantial; Losers concealed Example: Costa Rica Ad

15 Retreatism 26.6% of ads promoted a retreat from everyday world of responsibilities Gambling an alternative to work Hassle Free,, No commitment, Free and Easy Gambling on-line a sanctuary Example: Boardroom Ad

16 Selling techniques: Cultural Symbols Top-Down straightforward messages (i.e. announcement of new products or prizes); Bottom-Up appeals associated with wider cultural symbols (i.e. the dream of instant fame or the thrill of becoming a successful poker star). Ads resonate with consumer culture

17 The Sportification of Gambling & the Gamblification of Sport Turn gambling into a sport; Promote gambling through sport programming; Sports-related related cultural referents. =

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