Fonbet, the official sponsor of the Russia national football team, has leveraged its partnership with its home country’s side to promote a new message.

In its latest advertising campaign, Fonbet promotes matches involving the Russian national squad as the ‘best time to bet’, comparing the moment to other sentimental times in life, such as watching the sunrise, forgetting your troubles at a football game or ‘feeling free’.

Speaking to SBC News, Alina Yakirevich, Fonbet CMO, detailed how the firm is utilising the sponsorship to assist with local promotion, and to develop a more effective commercial marketing and branding strategy, whilst partnering with leading international domestic clubs to assist with global expansion.

By collaborating on promotions and giveaways, Fonbet aims to ‘give fans and Fonbet customers a new experience’, whilst simultaneously promoting its home team.

“Fonbet has a major focus on supporting athletics, with football as our top priority,” Yakirevich detailed. “We’ve been sponsoring the Russian national team for four seasons now. We’ve been very pleased with our partnership because in a way, it’s the country’s main team.”

Discussing the cooperation between the operator and the team further, the CMO explained that although the agreement is a ‘local partnership’, the positive influence it has over the company ‘is beyond doubt’.

In particular, Yakirevich highlighted how the national team is improving in two specific areas – branding and digitisation. 

Describing how the team has ‘developed its own strong branding and recognisable style’, she went to discuss the side’s digital development, which has led to it establishing a ‘sizeable CRM base’.

“For us as a partner, it’s crucial that the national team meets today’s needs and exceeds our expectations,” she added. “The Russian Football Union is under extremely professional management. We’re proud to have them as a partner.”

Although Russia has been unable to replicate its impressive – and unpredicted – 2018 World Cup run, the team’s performance in the UEFA 2020 European Championship will still likely have had an impact on its official betting partners fortunes. 

A smooth cruise through Finland’s defence followed by what the BBC described as a ‘classy finish by’ Aleksei Miranchuk secured a 1-0 win against the country’s western neighbours last week. 

Despite this, the team were also on the end of some heavy defeats, notably losing to Denmark – who secured their place in the round of 16 via the victory – and also to Belgium, in a match which saw Romelu Lukaku put two past his opponents.