Affiliate Manager Interview Series - Martin Janovcik

[GPWA Daniel]

(This interview was originally published in the April 2021 edition of the GPWA Times Magazine.)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from and where did you grow up? Where do you live today?

I’m from a teacher's family that was quite hard-working. I had a great childhood. At first, I dreamt about being a designer and since secondary grammar school I wanted to work in sports or culture-related advertising as one of the most desired options.

You got your start in the iGaming industry way back in 2005 when you were with Betradar and since then you have worked with some of the most recognized brands in the business, mostly as a marketing director and manager, before becoming Head of Advertising Operations at GAMING1. Did you always want to be in the iGaming space?

I wanted to work in the digital and sports related industry. That dream came true, I was happy to have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest guys in the industry. I was happy to have a chance to later help a digital startup, Betradar, at the very start with freelance contributions. With friends we started our own affiliate sites back in the prehistory, but we quickly found it is not easy to scale up. We also haven’t been always treated well and fairly by operators and that helped me to understand how important it is to keep transparent and quality relationships with affiliate partners. Such experience helps you to learn lot.

GAMING1 is Belgian-based and is a division of a larger and well-known company, Ardent Group that was founded almost 30 years ago. Please tell us more about that dynamic and what specialties GAMING1 brings to the parent company?

It’s all about team. If we zoom into Affiliate Channel development, without my colleagues, especially Carmel and Andrea, it would not be happening, credits go this way. There’s an outstanding quality of personal interactions in this company. I’ve been blessed to meet a lot of interesting colleagues. GAMING1 was able to manage very steep progress over the years in a great manner. The essence of this industry is in the DNA of our company as we are also games producers. The spirit and passion is here and we look forward to the next chapters of our development in a number of regulated markets.

Late last year, GAMING1 won four awards at the Malta iGaming Excellence Awards. Why do you think the company has earned these kinds of honor?

This was an “awards breakthrough” for the company. It’s a result of the hard-working attitude and strong entrepreneurial spirit of the company. Games production excellence gets rewarded. GAMING1 has a strong land-based history and our success at MiGEA was also a reflection of further digital build up in recent years.

What should affiliates know about GAMING1 in order to effectively market its brands?

We care about transparent communication and reliability, individual approach and tailored solutions. There are no silos we are unwilling to overcome. Our up to 48 hours response rate towards affiliates is in the heart of our internal setup. Operators often don’t appreciate branding and the retention power of affiliates enough, or how expanded media exposure and semantic contextuality matter. Affiliates are our partners and customers at the same time, and we are here to serve them the right way.

What are some things you know now about the iGaming affiliate space that you wish you knew 10 years ago?

I would say that this relates to the whole digital landscape. Outstanding creativity and being up to date is absolutely essential to capture the attention. Attention spans are shorter and more fragmented in digital. With all the shortcomings from future GDPR and privacy protection measures, it will be more important than ever before in the future to transfer the knowledge of on-site customer behavior towards affiliates, so you can shift efforts the right way. As you grow older, you improve your ability to recognize and identify value better. Interpretation of data is extensive.

What do you like most about your job?

We operate in the mode of constant change and that requires a blend of different skills. We love to meet new people and spend quality time together that goes beyond the business narrative. It’s amazing to see how different digital channels relate to each other.

What would be your advice to an affiliate just getting started in the business?

Serve the customer. This will sound like a “buzzword,” but always provide meaningful semantic context and choose the quality media from operators that will serve like functional informational and an entertaining puzzle for the visitor. On the UX side, make sure that you reduce situations where a visitor could get lost in the blind path. Produce the right content and anticipate new trends. Zoom in and zoom out, while planning ahead.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you both professionally and personally?

We miss meeting each other. While working remotely provides a lot of flexibility, it can also improve productivity and efficiency. But human interaction remains essential for our business.

Do you gamble?

I’m a casual sports betting customer. It’s not fair to sell something you don’t buy yourself. It’s, in a way, the skin in the game principle. Brick and mortar is important. For many customers, it is an important place where conversation, decision making and socializing happens. It remains an important touchpoint for brands. I’m entirely convinced that successful “transfer” of that community essence to digital space has tremendous value for operators. I’ve seen this strategy work in a great way in the past.

Tell us about your typical work day.

I stick to my productivity hacks. You just need to make sure the job will get done. Morning hours are extremely important for quick conversations that require deep focus and attention. Cross-functional connectivity across teams is essential as we operate with OKR methodology. It is important to take breaks, to give yourself rest in order to get better next time.

What's the office culture like at GAMING1?

It is very family spirited and cultivated on a human interaction level. The culture that was created and evolved in the offices is one of productivity and enhancing creativity, as well as the ability to find new ways to accomplish goals.

What are your hobbies? What takes up your time when you are not working?

There’s plenty of them. Beside movies and books I collect, I enjoy marketing science, culture and arts, in general. I’m definitely a big sports enthusiast, especially basketball, tennis and football. Sometimes the hobby is just meditation and listening to others.

If you hit the lottery for tomorrow and didn’t have to work another day in your life, what would you do?

If possible I’d start a tailored sports betting journal and app, continue learning, spend more time with family, and invest in a green and renewable startup.

What's your favorite movie?

My list is very long and it depends on the era. I like to re-watch movies after a few years and observe new angles. I like science fiction, psychology and documentary movies the most. Next on my list is Riders of Justice with Mads Mikkelsen.

If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be?

Long dinner with Jack Nicholson and Phil Jackson following a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game at the Staples Center. Daniel Kahneman could join us from perspective of decision-making theory and cognitive biases. It is just three people I could list, right? (Laughs).

Name one thing that people reading this magazine don't know about you.

I love the silence of mountains.

[GPWA Maria]

Thank you for the interview Martin

[Cash Bonus]

Thanks a lot for the interview. Covid has personally ruined many things for me, including a decrease in my earnings ever since it came about. I used to make much more only a few years ago, unfortunately.