NEXT in Marketing – The Unsung Heroes of iGaming

The loudest voices in most industries are often the moneymakers, or those with KPIs hinged on money.

But who makes sure those voices are heard?

Marketers.

That’s the view of Stuart Crowley, NEXT.io's?Head of Media, who also believes it’s “ironic” how the very people driving industry narratives are rarely part of them.

“Maybe it's true that the people who get into marketing are usually introverted salespeople,” Stuart adds. “Yet, without marketing, even the best products, brands, and disruptive ideas would go unnoticed.”

So, why are marketers still treated as a cost centre rather than a growth driver?

We can break this issue down into a few key areas.

Money matters

Marketing KPIs are usually not directly tied to sales or revenue generation, making it harder to attribute success directly to marketing efforts.

This creates a paradox where marketing teams do crucial work that fuels a company’s long-term success, yet their contributions can be undervalued.

Unlike sales teams, which can point to clear-cut numbers like deals closed and revenue generated, marketers work with metrics such as brand awareness, engagement rates, website traffic, and customer sentiment.

These factors indirectly drive sales but don’t always show an immediate impact on the bottom line.

Part of the problem is that long-term impact?is harder to measure.?Qualitative metrics like brand equity and customer retention are marathons, not sprints.

In a world that values instant gratification, these long-term gains often hold less weight than immediately trackable numbers.

Credit where credit is due

Another hurdle marketers face is that a successful brand is often seen as a great product, not a great marketing strategy.?

When a company succeeds, credit tends to go to the product, technology, or leadership - rarely to the marketing team that built the brand’s presence.

But even the most groundbreaking products can struggle without the right marketing. Behind the scenes, marketing teams create compelling narratives, build emotional connections with consumers, and shape public perception.

They ensure that when customers think of a need or have a want, they instinctively associate it with a particular brand. Marketers can create the same effect for your iGaming product.?

There’s also a persistent misconception that "marketing just makes things pretty"?and is primarily about aesthetics rather than strategy, storytelling, and engagement.

But the strategy, psychology, and data behind marketing should not be undervalued.

Marketing is more than just campaigns - it’s behavioural insight, audience segmentation, and data-driven decision-making. Yet it’s often seen as secondary to product or sales strategies.

These are just some of the reasons why marketers are the unsung heroes of a business. They create the demand that sales teams capitalise on, nurture relationships that lead to long-term customer loyalty, and shape the brand identity that differentiates a company from its competitors.

It’s time to recognise the invaluable role marketing plays in ensuring your business success.

Thank you for reading NEXT in Marketing

This is the second blog in our new NEXT in Marketing series, which will spread the expertise of marketers, amplify their voices and has the ambition of creating a stronger marketing community for our industry.

We were delighted with the response to our first blog “Let’s Celebrate Professional Marketers” which you can read here.

We had positive responses, which is always nice.

Pedro Terrantez called it “a long overdue project” while Ali Storm wrote how “marketing needs recognition and discussions”.

Anastasia Vinnyk gave us three hand clapping emojis and hey, we loved those too!

Drop NEXT.io’s Stuart Crowley and GameOn 's Sarah Blackburn a message if you’d like to see a topic covered or want to give us feedback on the blogs.

?? Follow NEXT.io on LinkedIn to be the first in the know.

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