Top 5 things to consider when entering the Finnish gaming market

“Do you know how to best reach the Finnish consumer and your specific target audience in Finland? Are you willing to invest in brand awareness to boost your tactical actions?” asks Janne Lappalainen, Client Partner at Sanoma.

Lappalainen listed five key points to consider when planning your entrance to the Finnish market.

1. Do your research on the Finnish consumer

Your potential customers’ preferences and behaviour should inform your marketing choices. Sanoma’s wide range of research on Finnish consumers, media use, and different industries offers valuable insight to back up your decisions. Research conducted by our experts and partners creates a vast pool of knowledge to draw from.

Read more:

• Gambling reform opens up the market – Finnish players are rational and open to new brands
• The Finnish gaming market attracts operators – new companies need to localise and build trust
• Players’ expectations of responsibility set the bar for gaming marketing in Finland

You can also dive deeper with a tailor-made research project. Sanoma’s high-quality consumer panel Suomitutka gives you a wider view of the average Finnish consumer, while defined target audiences can be researched with the help of our partners.

• Tip: Also get familiar with Finland-specific popular sports such as pesäpallo (Finnish baseball) and floorball.

2. Get to know the way Finns use media

While global megatrends and changes in media use do manifest in Finland, there are some characteristics that set the Finns apart from other Europeans. Being aware of those differences adds to the effectiveness of your marketing and brand building.

Traditional media hold their ground in Finland. Offline media such as TV, radio and print magazines remain popular, so you may not want to invest in digital marketing alone. Reach outside the digital world and make your marketing a combination of online and offline.

• Download our guide: Finnish media usage is one of a kind 

3. Invest in brand building in digital and offline channels

The gambling reform brings new marketing channels and media at your fingertips. Many of them are excellent for building a strong brand that will bolster your tactical efforts. Tactical marketing alone will not get you the market share you’ll be reaching for.

When it comes to digital channels, look beyond the international ones. Finns place a lot of trust in domestic media, which makes them a powerful spot to build high-quality brand awareness. The reach of Sanoma’s digital media exceeds that of Meta’s services in Finland.

Read more:

• Finns' trust and interest in news remains among the highest in the world
• Finns enjoy stirring TV phenomena – quality advertising can enhance the experience
• Localise! Use our expertise to discover talking points that are currently hot among your audience 

4. Utilise your own data as well as that of your partners

There are numerous ways to use data to be present in the right place at the right time.

• Combine your own data  with that of Sanoma’s to create specified audiences in Sanoma’s channels.
• Make use of Sanoma’s widespread knowledge on the consumers’ media use to find the contexts where your potential customers spend their time – from digital media to TV favourites.
• Find relevant data from our partners such as Taloustutkimus.
• Use programmatic buying to get the most out of your own data and targeting as well as Sanoma’s quality content and trusted media brands. 

To make the most of these opportunities, make sure your data is usable from the get-go. Double check your cookie policy before entering the market to ensure you’re securing permission to use the data in all relevant ways.

Read more:

• Programmatic advertising in the new era of the Finnish gaming market
• Put your customer register to work – target your advertising with pinpoint precision using custom audiences

5. Get ahead by starting early

While the legislation process related to the gambling reform is still underway, now is the time to start preparing your entrance to the Finnish market. Make use of the months ahead: get to know the market, decide the focal points of your marketing, and define your target audiences. Check and prepare your data collection processes to be able to utilise data to the max.

Sanoma is already discussing the best steps and solutions for gaming companies to build a strong presence in Finland. These conversations are best had long before the market opens, says Janne Lappalainen.

“This is a big change for our team, too, and there’s a lot of excitement in the air to find the best solutions for our new gaming partners. By starting now, we’ll be able to hone the focus of the marketing, build fruitful long-term partnerships, and avoid hurry when the market finally opens.”

From insight to execution: Sanoma’s services for a gaming company 

• A designated team of experts with experience of the gaming industry 
• Multichannel video advertising: planning, execution, metrics 
  
• Programmatic buying with personal customer service 
  
• Relatable and effective content marketing with the help of Sanoma Content Studio 
  
• The most popular and trusted news and entertainment brands 
  
• The knowhow of the leading media house in Finland at your fingertips 
  
• And so much more!

It’s time to make plans for your entrance into Finland – give us a call and let’s get talking!