Brands wager on betting app that puts the stakes back in the hands of fans
Sports fans sickened by the thought of having to part with cold cash after losing a bet with their friends can now breathe a sigh of relief. Pizza Express, M&S and Caffe Nero are making a host of free discounts the center of bets via a new app.
Video: Sporting Mouth advert
The so-called prediction app, dubbed “Sporting Mouth” lets users wager the outcome on all World Cup matches against friends they are connected to by mobile, email and social networks. As well as competing individually or in a prediction league for bragging rights, friends can create their own wagers for bets other than money.
Pizza, Express, Waterstones, M&S, Kitbag and Caffe Nero are offering free discount vouchers for users to wager in the hopes of accelerating demand for their brands around the World Cup. Further brands will be announced in the coming weeks and the platform will be extended to other football leagues and sports later in the year.
Microsoft is using the app to promote its Lumia smartphone brand through what they claim is the world’s “first social shootout”. A live Sporting Mouth-powered leaderboard will run on the Lumia Facebook page throughout the World Cup, where fans will compete with people worldwide not just their friends to receive prizes.
Sporting Mouth is the brainchild of ex-Ogilvy creatives John Owrid and Phil Harvey who crowd-funded the money to build it. Both plan to generate revenue through advertising, in-app sponsorships, affiliate marketing and market research panels.
Food and drink brands are set to be among the biggest beneficiaries from the World Cup with the late evening kick-off serving up additional consumption occasions over the next month. Nearly half (41 per cent) of people in the UK intend to buy more drinks, according to online research company fast.MAP. More than a quarter (28 per cent) plan to purchase more food.
