New William Hill campaign plays on community

William Hill is to launch its new marketing campaign this evening by tapping into the social aspect of betting and gaming. 

The ‘it’s who you play with’ advertising campaign is the first created by agency 72andSunny Amsterdam since it won the account earlier this summer and continues the marketing shift that William Hill has been following since its Anthony Joshua campaign earlier this year. 

The firm said that the new campaign is part of a wider business initiative William Hill is undertaking to position itself for the future as the industry becomes increasingly more digital and regulated. 

Charlotte Emery, Global Brand and Marketing Director at William Hill, commented: “This campaign is meant to reflect the social elements of betting and how William Hill has a heritage of community through its betting shops and now into the digital age.

The campaign breaks on national television in the UK today with an initial emphasis on visibility around entertainment programmes rather than just sport, and will be followed by a rollout in Spain. TV advertising is running on BT, Sky, ITV and Channel 4, with supporting activity online, in William Hill stores, and on the William Hill app. 

Creative agency 72andSunny Amsterdam identified an opportunity to elevate betting, William Hill and its business by showcasing that the brand brings friends together through the shared love of sport; demonstrating that betting with William Hill can provide a positive moment of connection between friends. By socialising betting, William Hill says it is providing a welcome opportunity to connect, irrespective of whether you win or lose.

In the work, a suite of assets across TV, social, digital, print, and OOH, show the various ways a group of friends stay connected through sport. ‘Good-natured repartee’ is interwoven throughout the suite of assets while conversations and decisions around sport and betting unfold – both in person and via messaging. By the end, it is clear that they’re all united by their shared passion for sport – even when they can’t be in the same place at the same time.

Matt Firth, Creative Director at 72andSunny Amsterdam, added: “Working with William Hill felt like an opportunity for a really fresh take on the betting category. We wanted to get away from all the tired lads and larger stereotypes to create something that felt more relatable and showcased the best of betting. For us, that meant showing how a bet can bring people together, fuel conversation and create real moments of connection.”