The Michigan Gaming Control Board’s responsible gambling campaign ‘Don’t Regret the Bet’ continues to earn honors for its creativity and effectiveness. After winning three separate awards since August 2023, the marketing campaign is now a finalist for a Shorty Award.
Specifically, King Media and the MGCB worked together to create the campaign as a means of keeping pace with the rapidly expanding gambling space. This awards tour has proven the partnership to be extremely successful.
Speaking to PlayMichigan about the campaign, King Media’s founder and president Coleen King said in February that she is proud it is having a positive impact with Michiganders.
“It’s resonating with the people that we want to talk to in Michigan, and it’s making an impact,” she said. “And we have a very modest budget compared to what is being spent between the casinos and then the online.”
Shorty Awards are won by digital creators that produce ‘outstanding and innovative work’
The Shorty Awards were founded back in 2008 and it was the first of its kind. The goal was to provide awards for, “outstanding and innovative work by brands, agencies, influencers, nonprofits, creators, and individuals across digital and social platforms.”
Specifically, for their work on the ‘Don’t Regret the Bet’ marketing project, King Media and the MGCB are finalists for the Social Good Campaign category.
And, it is exciting news for the MGCB. Executive Director Henry Williams put out a statement saying it is a testament to the hard work many put in to maximize player safety.
“We’re thrilled that our responsible gaming messaging campaign has been recognized as a finalist in the Social Good Campaign category of the Shorty Awards,” he said. “It’s a testament to our commitment to promoting safe and responsible gaming practices within the gaming industry and reaffirms the importance of the agency’s efforts to raise awareness of — and prioritize — players’ well-being.”
The winners of the Shorty Awards will be announced at a live event in New York on May 22.
‘Don’t Regret the Bet’ is about empowering Michiganders
King Media is just a 12-person marketing agency which might seem small on the surface. But, so far, its impact has been tremendous.
The firm told PlayMichigan its goal is to help people in Michigan. It knows it only has so much space to take on new business. So, sticking to projects that fulfill its original goal is a must. That is what made its partnership with the MGCB so meaningful.
According to Bob Veasey, the Executive Creative Director for King Media, pro-gambling marketing is not the problem. But, responsible gambling messaging needs to be prioritized as well.
“There’s just so much pro-gambling advertising out there right now,” Veasey said. “You can’t turn on the TV without seeing ads for gambling. And they’re making gambling seem fun and exciting. And it can be all those things, but we just wanted a campaign that gets a message out and says, ‘Hey gambling can be fun, but take it easy, be careful or you could you could get yourself into some trouble.’”
This is not the first time MGCB marketing has been honored
Notably, this is not the first time the ‘Don’t Regret the Bet’ campaign has been honored. The project won a Platinum MarCom Award back in October.
Another honor was awarded in August. The campaign won a 2023 Platinum Viddy Award for video excellence in the digital world. The panel of judges was created from the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals.
Following that win, the ‘Don’t Regret the Bet’ marketing campaign also took home a Platinum dotCOMM Award. Those are given to work that shows excellence in web creativity and digital communication.
MGCB thrilled about awards for Don’t Regret the Bet
Further, Williams said the MGCB is pleased with the recognition.
“The MGCB staff is most appreciative of Coleen King and her talented staff for rolling up their sleeves and working alongside us on this endeavor to prevent Michiganders from developing a problem with gambling,” Williams said.
For King, this positive momentum is simply more evidence of her team’s talents.
“It is absolutely, positively fantastic,” she previously told PlayMichigan. “We submit our work to global competitions. I’ve always believed that to be the best you have to compete with the best. These global awards validate that our work is on par with the largest brands and the largest companies on the planet. I have an amazing creative team and would put them up against anybody.”
