I was interested to see the ad in the Herald Sun today for the new Tattersalls Monday and Wednesday games. In addition to their use of the cloud art, which is a feature of Intralot marketing, Tattersalls is using an orange background – orange is the corporate colour of Intralot. I do not recall Tattersalls using cloud artwork or orange as a key colour prior to their use by Intralot.
Looking at the ad this morning, I wondered if we will get to a point where Tattersalls and Intralot products are marketed in a unified way. Either co-operatively or through some jointly owned vehicle or one under contract to the other. There could be some sense in that. Tattersalls copying Intralot suggests they like the idea of common theme.
For the record I note that Victorian Tattersalls outlets still have no viable use for the scratch ticket bays. These prime retail position bays, next to each Tattersalls machine, have been useless since July this year. The most logical use for them is the Intralot scratch ticket products. Without Tattersalls agreement that is not possible. They next alternative is impulse purchase product. If Tattersalls cared about their retail partners they would open these bays up so we could gain some return on the expensive space. Using them, as we are supposed to today, for posters is nonsense.
The use of common artwork and theme is a very old marketing trick used to deliberately confuse consumers so they don’t show overwhelming preference to either brand.
At a higher level, this strategy then works in reverse by using Intralot artwork themes to drive sales to Tatts. Everytime Intralot advertise, Tatts gets the sale because they conditioned the public to the common artwork.
It is also interesting to note the common features between golden casket and tats branding. Here in Queensland GC’s logo changed to your ticket to dream and has the blue bar on all their point of sale. I have also notticed tatss use some of the old gc branding and gc adopt tatts branding (which is expected as they are joined). It’s a shame that the bays for the instants is vacant as it is good space. Instant schratchies here in qld are now available in nt, act and tas, i wonder if victoria will eventually get our scratchies.
Perhaps it’s time for Intralot to fight fire with fire and start copying certain things what Tattersall’s do. I would suggest implementing a game that people actually want to play would be an ideal place to start.