At the end of last year, Superbet started operations in Poland and announced entry into Serbia and Slovakia. Other countries are in the pipeline. OZB Magazine talked to Dusan Zuza, the new Chief Marketing Officer of Superbet, who worked and lived in several countries, about the marketing strategy of the most ambitious betting company in Romania.
– Why did you choose to work for Superbet?
Superbet’s CEO Sacha Dragic has put together an incredible team. In the company we have people who made Superbet number one betting company in Romania from just one agency in less than 10 years. We have top industry executives joining Superbet and bringing remarkable experience from the global betting companies. We also have people bringing experience and knowledge from the global leaders in other industries (IT frontend, retail, FMCG). All these talents together, driving global expansion of the company, makes Superbet an outstanding place to work for.
– What is the marketing strategy of Superbet for the next years?
Superbet has always been a product based company. Our success has been built on the superior retail product and an execution that made consumers so satisfied they were spreading word of mouth, making it unnecessary for the company to invest in large scale advertising. Now as we are expanding outside of Romania, our marketing strategy is to drive our products’ trial, creating as soon as possible a critical mass of satisfied consumers who will spread the word of mouth in the other markets as well.
– What is the secret of a successful marketing strategy for a betting company? How different is from the marketing for Procter & Gamble, where you worked for several years?
The fundamental concepts of a successful marketing in almost any business to consumer industry are more or less the same: understand consumer behavior and needs, drive innovation, create and provide superior products, give the most value to the consumers and focus on users` satisfaction. Betting is sports/ male audience focused so there is not much similarity in marketing communication between betting and detergents or female beauty products, but if you put betting next to male brands like Gillette for example, you will see there are many similarities (top athletes as the brand ambassadors, sponsorship of sport events etc.).
– How important is the digital/online marketing?
It is very important, if not already the most important one. Traditional advertising is in decline and people are getting more and more connected online so that now F-factors (friends, family, Facebook fans, Twitter followers) have more influence on consumers’ decisions that the traditional brand communication.
– How do you fight competition?
We are focused on our consumers and providing them the best value and user’s satisfaction. That is how we fight and win against the competition.
– How does the future look like for Superbet?
Bright, very, very bright! We are very much looking forward to what the future brings as Superbet is launching new products, implementing new technologies and expanding the operations to the other markets.
– What is the biggest challenge for Superbet?
Scaling the business outside of Romania. That is the focus of the company in the upcoming period. We have already started operations in Poland and announced entry into Serbia and Slovakia with some other countries in the pipeline, soon to be announced.
– Do you bet :)? If yes, on what?
Yes, I do bet. I love to put money behind my hunch on the outcome of basketball games. Also, occasionally I bet on football, water polo and tennis. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but every time I enjoy the experience, as putting money in the game makes me feel more like an active participant than just a passive spectator.
– How is it to live in Romania compared to living in other countries?
I love Romania and have to admit it is my favorite country. Living in every country has its good sides and bad sides. It is human nature to notice only the bad and takes for granted all the good things. I have been blessed with an experience of living in different countries, which helped me to develop an ability to notice and enjoy fully all the good things as well. Being said that Romania is my favorite country, I find it to have the best good to bad ration of all the countries I have lived in.
– What do you like/dislike about Romania?
I like the people, how sociable they are and the fact they always have time for friends and family. I like how safe the country is and also the nature. The mountains, the Danube, the Black See are just astonishing. The traffic infrastructure is still developing and I am sure Romania will be even better place to live in when all highways and the other road/ travel infrastructure are fully constructed.
