Sportsbook operator PointsBet has made two senior marketing appointments, as part of a pivot in strategy away from “promos and ad blitzes”.
Former Olympics executive Ansley O’Neal will become vice president of brand strategy and marketing, while Josh Powell becomes director of brand marketing.
O’Neal had worked for the International Olympic Committee since 2015. There, she managed many of the International Olympic Committee’s consumer-facing brands, supporting campaigns such as the bid for PyeongChang to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and for wrestling to be readmitted as an Olympic sport.
At PointsBet, she will oversee the creation and implementation of the brand and marketing strategies from the ground up and will report to chief marketing officer Kyle Christensen.
“In an industry that’s marked by outsized promos and ad blitzes, PointsBet is aiming to deviate away from this norm and leverage marketing tactics that work to enhance live sports for fans and bettors while maximizing on the current sports betting boom in the states,” Christensen said. “We’re thrilled to have Ansley and Josh onboard and tap into their expertise of the industry as we work to further cultivate our brand in the U.S. market.”
Meanwhile, Powell – a sports betting industry veteran – will design and execute campaigns around sports betting. In this role, he will report to O’Neal. He worked at Paddy Power – and later Paddy Power Betfair – from 2012 until 2018, before joining startup marketing agency The Tenth Man.
During the quarter ended 31 March, recorded a 24% year-on-year increase in revenue, thanks to a large rise in turnover. However, it spent $53.7m (£42.9m/€50.4m) on sales and marketing expenses, resulting in a net loss of $58.5m.