As the digital world continues to rapidly evolve, sportsbooks are doing their best to keep up with technology trends and adapt modern iGaming experiences to keep customers on board.

Such upgrades can alter the outlook of a company and how it identifies itself. A recent occurrence of this saw the The Pools (previously The Football Pools) undertake a full rebrand, combining a fresh name and logo with a out-of-home (OOH) marketing and radio advertising campaign.

One of the UK’s oldest betting brands, The Pools is trying to meet the demands of a modern, online-oriented market and more digitally-engaged customers. CEO James Arnold spoke to SBC News about the process behind the move, and particularly the effect of the transition to online betting.

 

Thanks for speaking with us James. Firstly, can you explain the rationale behind The Football Pools’ recent rebrand? 

 

Our rebrand was all about changing the game. What we mean by that is bringing a fresh approach to provide a modern gaming experience for a 2025 audience. Being such an iconic and well-loved brand, The Pools means so much to so many people, but we also want to engage a new audience while remaining loyal to our traditional customer base 

James Arnold

Our marketing campaign launched earlier this year with a major out-of-home (OOH) marketing and radio advertising campaign. Named “The Parents”, it struck the balance we were aiming for of staying true to that loyal customer base, while also looking towards the next generation of The Pools customers who we know will also relish the joy of playing our product and the thrill of winning, both big and small.

As part of the rebrand, we also have a fresh brand identity, with a new brand mark, The Play Maker. This hand-drawn graffiti style X addition to the logo is another example of us bridging the past with the present as it harks back to the old Pools coupon that our parents and grandparents will all remember filling in where you marked your selections with an X. It feels fresh and modern, yet is still a celebration of the rich heritage and unique positioning of the brand.

 

The Pools is one of the UK’s oldest betting firms. Is this rebrand part of a wider objective of bringing the company in line with modern demands? 

 

Absolutely. The marketing campaign and logo re-design are underlined by a commitment to an enhanced digital experience for all our players across all our offerings to ensure we meet these modern demands. As part of our rebrand, we have modernised our technical infrastructure and improved our product portfolio leading to a new gaming platform and a new website that we are confident will appeal to customers both old and new. 

Another example of ensuring we are meeting these modern demands is through our digital membership offering, which is a unique selling point for The Pools. We are at the forefront of offering our customers exclusive benefits and promotions and we see this as a big part of The Pools’ future. It taps into the idea of honouring our traditional customer base while also incentivising new players to sign up – under the strictest safer gambling protocols, with membership options of £10, £15 or £20 per month available.

 

How has The Pools responded to changes and trends in UK betting over the past couple of decades?

 

Key to our rebrand has been the idea that The Pools needs to move with the times and is responding to these changes and trends that the UK betting industry has witnessed over the years. Our product has massively improved across the board, at a product, platform and website level.

For example, as part of this process, we’ve teamed up with GiG to upgrade our online presence, migrating onto their state-of-the-art SportX sportsbook and CoreX iGaming platform. This gives our players advanced bet-builder capabilities, dynamic odds and fully localised UK content, including horse racing powered by BetMakers. This online revamp reflects The Pools’ commitment to providing a modern, user-friendly experience for our customers that today’s world of online betting demands.

 

We’ve noticed that you have launched a new radio campaign to promote the rebrand – how do you think this will connect with a new demographic of players? 

 

The Pools is a thread that has run through the fabric of football fandom for more than a century, first launching in Liverpool in 1923, while our much-loved coupons were first handed out that same year outside Manchester United’s Old Trafford football ground. For those that have never played with us before, they almost certainly will know someone who has. 

“The Parents” radio campaign sought to speak to those members of the community in the North West, the spiritual home of the The Pools, who have a positive association with the brand, to welcome them back to our new offering of products, or to offer an invitation to play for the first time. The radio campaign was produced to reacquaint the public to a much-loved and highly-regarded British institution, while also introducing the brand to a new generation of players.

 

A lot of advertising has moved online like the rest of the betting business – in this context is a radio campaign not a slightly outdated method? 

 

We believe that a mix of marketing channels is the best and most effective way to reach an audience, the radio campaign was run alongside a major out-of-home marketing campaign to launch “The Parents”. “The Parents” had the aim of re-connecting with our existing and lapsed customers with a light-hearted and nostalgic approach, to bring the positive sentiment of playing with friends and family back to the forefront of the brand messaging.

This element of the re-brand was also focused on our North West heartland, particularly targeting our customers in Liverpool and Manchester. Later this year, we will be expanding to a national audience – watch this space!

 

What technological revamps have the Pools undergone to better meet the demands of a more digitally-focused audience? 

 

As mentioned, as part of our rebrand we have upgraded our online presence, powered by GiG. With their premium solutions, we’ve worked hard to create an exciting new environment that honours our heritage while delivering a best-in-class digital experience. We also integrated Xtremepush’s CRM platform last year, and they have been another key partner as we focus on a player-centric approach.    

We are committed to providing a modern, user-friendly experience and reaching new audiences, while maintaining our iconic reputation in UK betting history – and these partners have been key to enabling our ambitious vision for The Pools for 2025 and beyond.

 

As a sports betting-focused gaming brand what was your reaction to the new UKGC rules on bonuses – do you think this is a step in the right direction? 

 

The Commission’s response to the consultations on socially responsible incentives was not unexpected. Providing players and operators with clearer information on how bonuses and incentives are structured can only be a good thing in the long run.

We responded to the consultation, so had a good idea of the areas that were up for review. Anything that will support safe and sustainable customer engagement with a product will always be viewed as a positive change.

 

As the UK betting space and the regulation around it continues to develop, how will The Pools ensure adaptability with whatever opportunities or challenges may come?

 

The Pools has been around for over 100 years and across this period we’ve strived to move with the times, resulting in this year’s major rebrand campaign. Whatever opportunities or challenges may come our way next, we’re confident that the ambitious vision for The Pools that we’ve laid out in recent months is backed up by our solid strategy for a sustainable, compliant growth trajectory for our brand.

 

 

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