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PuntCast, a start-up aiming to revolutionise the sports betting industry with peer-to-peer games, was struggling with its brand identity and development of their app. Initially, the company approached a large, well-known agency for assistance in developing their app but ended up feeling disappointed with the final product. The brand didn’t stand out as hoped—it blended in with the sea of generic betting apps already saturating the market.
The core of PuntCast’s vision was to create a platform where users could engage in a more social and fun betting experience, while providing a means for football clubs to raise funds. To bring this vision to life, PuntCast needed an identity that would not only be visually appealing but also align with its ethos of community, fun, and social engagement a term the start-up calls social gaming. To achieve their aims their brand would need to be distinct from the competition.
Shoothill immediately recognised the need for PuntCast to differentiate itself from traditional betting platforms. We discussed numerous names, directions and ideas as a first step with the client. However, in the extensive consultation it was a left field option that struck accord. BettyBetBet.
The name may at first seem simple and childish but it’s a deceptively powerful brand. A play on the Boaty McBoatface name, it cuts through to the general public and mass market. The betting app industry is full of apps that all have the word bet in their name, BettyBetBet parodies this omnipresence of the word bet in industry branding. As an app it aims for people to play to raise money for good causes, but the creators didn’t want to hide how it achieves its aims. Transparency and playfulness was the goal, not a faceless business.
The thought behind the brand name goes further. With the word ‘bet’ in the name three times, it serves to help promote the brand from a technical SEO perspective. There’s even a sound argument for the branding from literary theory, the rule of three – the method of delivering phrases in sections of three, is an age-old advertising technique routed in the idea that in sets of three everything sounds better and is more memorable. Combining this with the alliterative B, the brand is incredibly powerful and memorable amongst competitors that fall into generic tropes with little to differentiate them.
This playful and memorable name opened the door to endless marketing possibilities, helping to establish the brand as approachable and fun—a stark contrast to the often serious and competitive nature of the betting industry.
Branding of course goes beyond the logo and brand name, there are other considerations. Regarding tone of voice the guidelines set up a playful, friendly and approachable demeanour. This continues with the font which is clear to read but more playful than what you’d find on a more conventional business’ website.
In terms of visual identity, Shoothill made a bold design choice for the genre. Most sports betting platforms rely heavily on dark tones like grey and black, which can feel cold and impersonal. To break away from this norm, Shoothill used white as the dominant colour for BettyBetBet’s branding. This not only gave the app a fresh and friendly look but also made it stand out instantly within the crowded market of betting apps, and as a result conveying the community aspect to BettyBetBet its unique selling point.
Shoothill have also developed distinct sub-brands for the games offered within the platform, giving each a unique identity while maintaining a cohesive brand strategy. The games—King of the Hill, a last-man-standing style competition, and Win King, a league-based game—were given their own visual and thematic identities to further enhance user engagement. These sub-brands open the possibility for different marketing styles, tones of voice and marketing techniques to capture different demographics within the BettyBetBet app.
Shoothill’s work with PuntCast successfully transformed their initial concept into a well-rounded brand that better represented their objectives. From the playful and memorable name BettyBetBet to the bright, welcoming design, every aspect of the rebranding helped to communicate that this app was different from establish betting platforms as it puts the community first.
Upon its launch and in the lead up to it, BettyBetBet garnered positive feedback from users who appreciated its unique look and feel. Many commented on how friendly and different the app appeared, which resonated with its goal of creating a fun, peer-to-peer betting experience while also serving as a fundraising tool for football clubs.
Shoothill’s creative approach and attention to detail ultimately helped PuntCast establish a brand identity that could stand out in a competitive market, all while staying true to its core values of social engagement and community-driven fun.
