PokerBaazi is focusing on product development, partnerships and content generation as the three pillars of growth for the brand
"The Shahid campaign took our monthly active users to upwards of 150k and daily activities to 20K and it would be huge for us if we chose the ad model but we chose not to take that path to keep the user experience intact," says Varun Ganjoo, co-founder and CMO - Baazi Games. Courtesy PokerBaazi
PokerBaazi that already has actor Shahid Kapoor as brand ambassador has now roped in two game ambassadors. Muskan Sethi, India's first female poker player and recipient of the President's First Ladies award, and Abhishek Goindi, who is a popular poker coach and player, are the new faces of the brand who will help users understand the sport.
Varun Ganjoo, co-founder and chief marketing officer, Baazi Games, says PokerBaazi has also grown to become the primary driver of Baazi Games’ growth contributing to over 75 percent of Baazi Games’ revenue. According to him, choosing the right partnerships at this stage is very crucial for the brand. The partnerships include everything from brand ambassadors to advertising platforms to curating IPs.
Ganjoo talks to Storyboard18 about the company's marketing playbook, the importance of digital, content and a robust tech stack.
Edited excerpts.
Q. You already have Shahid Kapoor on board and now you have two popular faces in poker as ambassadors too. How did getting Kapoor on board help the brand and what will Sethi and Goindi bring to the table?