Industry News
The Importance of Authenticity With Micro-Influencer Marketing and Gen Z Audiences
‘Fake it till you make it’ is a popular phrase in the modern self-improvement culture, but one area this definitely no longer applies is marketing.
For years, brands have thrown advertising money into the furnace of celebrity endorsements. Having a big-name celebrity attached to your brand used to be a sure-fire of gaining attention, but as Gen Z emerges as a major commercial force, this is quickly losing power.
Gen Z is a demographic that has grown up in and around digital marketing and the internet. More than generations that come before it, it understands how the world of advertising works, and it is demanding change.
The idea that a celebrity is using the same products as your everyday person no longer sells. We have more access than ever before to the lives of celebrities and athletes, and we can clearly see our favourite NFL player is not wearing that watch he promised he never took off in the adverts.
There is a demand for authenticity and for a belief that a person selling you a product is, first and foremost, upfront about the fact they are selling it and, secondly, providing a genuine endorsement of a product they use themselves.
This is where micro-influencers can step in. Micro-influencers have huge followers of people who really believe in their brand. Their interests are more niche and much more accessible than celebrities or major influencers.
As such, it is essential that a brand’s values align with that of a micro-influencer. Brands should be looking for micro-influencers that share their beliefs and that have products that will align with their audience instead of just seeking out the ones with the biggest followings. A campaign for a product that is of direct interest to micro-influencers with 25,000 followers will prove to be much more profitable than randomly assigning a product to someone with 200,000 followers with no real connection to it.
Essentially, it is becoming increasingly impossible to fake in-depth knowledge or endorsement of a product. The community aspects of sports and other sectors now mean audiences are quicker than ever to spot something disingenuous and call it out. Micro-influencers, whose success relies on that strong relationship with their communities, are not going to put themselves at risk by endorsing something that does not align with their own values and beliefs.
This authenticity also applies to presentation. We’ve all had that experience where we’re listening to a major podcast, and then, out of the blue, they just start promoting a product totally unrelated to what we are listening to. All this results in is people repeatedly hitting the skip 15 seconds button on their apps until the ad is gone.
Micro-influencers understand their communities, and they understand the products that are going to interest them. They also know how to package these products to them and how to make them appeal without ever appearing pushy or like they are over-selling.
This genuine connection between a product and its intended audience is something people would pay millions for in the past. Micro-influencers have made this affordable, ensuring an excellent ROI for companies on their advertising campaigns.
It has also proven an excellent way of levelling the playing field for small and mid-level businesses. Companies no longer need to have huge advertising budgets to reach their audiences. Gen Z is also supportive of smaller business, especially those that align with their social and political values, and micro-influencers and authentic marketing provides a way for them to connect.
One thing that is clear is that marketing is changing, and Gen Z audiences are going to continue to look for the most authentic endorsements they can find. Working with micro-influencers now allows companies to get ahead of that trend and reap all of its benefits.
By: Troy Paul, Co-Founder and CEO of SGG Media
Industry News
FanDuel Sports Network Appoints Damon Phillips to Lead South, Southeast, Florida and Sun Regions
FanDuel Sports Network, owned and operated by Main Street Sports Group, announced that Damon Phillips is joining the Company as Executive Vice President, Team Partnerships, effective August 25. In this role, Phillips will assume oversight of the South, Southeast, Florida and Sun regions, including partnerships with the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Carolina Hurricanes, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, Nashville Predators, Orlando Magic, and Tampa Bay Rays. He will report to David DeVoe, President of Main Street Sports Group.
“Damon brings an exceptional track record of using digital innovation, audience segmentation, and cross-platform strategies to drive fan growth and engagement. As we continue to invest in our local sports media platform, Damon’s deep leadership experience at both NBC Sports and ESPN, combined with his ability to scale technology-forward solutions for both media companies and team partners, provide a unique perspective as we continue to focus on team-first solutions in a dynamic local media landscape,” said DeVoe.
“I’m thrilled to be joining a company that’s reshaping what local sports media can deliver for fans and partners. FanDuel Sports Network has built a strong foundation and is uniquely positioned to harness the power of local fandom, scale engaged audiences and unlock new growth across its markets. I’m excited to help drive this next chapter,” said Phillips.
Phillips has spent more than three decades at the intersection of sports, media, and technology, including senior leadership roles at NBCUniversal and ESPN. At NBC Sports, he served as Senior Vice President, Digital Media & Emerging Businesses, overseeing NBCSports.com, Sports Betting, Fantasy Sports, the NBC Sports YouTube Channel, Peacock B2B distribution, and multiple podcast and streaming ventures. He led partnerships with DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, and others, and provided strategic direction for the company’s FAST and sports betting content initiatives.
Caesars Entertainment has launched its third fully in-house developed proprietary online casino title: Signature American Roulette. Now live in New Jersey, the game is available across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, and Horseshoe Online Casino, bringing another standout addition to the Company’s Signature table game series.
Developed by Empire Creative, Signature American Roulette reflects Caesars’ growing investment in building its own proprietary content, a cornerstone of its online casino strategy aimed at delivering a best-in-class player experience.
“Our in-house content team’s latest addition to the Signature series of table games is a standout for our online casino players. Bringing Signature American Roulette to our iGaming platforms perfectly complements our suite of Caesars-branded table games and further strengthens the robust collection of digital offerings that bring the energy of the casino floor to players’ mobile devices,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital.
Signature American Roulette follows the recent launches of fan-favorite Signature titles, Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender in May and Signature Blackjack Surrender in June, both also developed by Empire Creative. Online casino players can enjoy these games across Caesars’ marquee iGaming platforms in New Jersey, Michigan and Ontario, with Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender now also available on Caesars Palace Online Casino in Pennsylvania.
“Signature American Roulette continues our commitment to delivering immersive and player-centric table games that align with our many iconic brands. From player-selectable wheel spin direction and speed to our intuitive favorite bets system, every detail is crafted to boost engagement. With seamless play in portrait or landscape modes and picture-in-picture win evaluations, we’re bringing the thrill of the casino straight to players’ fingertips,” said Scott Krell, Senior Director of Game Products and Head of Studio at Caesars Digital.
Those 21 and older in New Jersey can play Signature American Roulette by downloading the Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino or Caesars Sportsbook & Casino apps on iOS or Android, or visiting the platforms on desktop. These platforms are also available in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ontario, and West Virginia, offering a dynamic online casino experience that features Caesars-branded games, timeless casino classics, and unique titles from top game providers. Each platform offers a dynamic online casino experience with a range of unique games from top providers, Caesars-branded games, and timeless casino classics. Additionally, each platform integrates Caesars Rewards, the Company’s industry-leading loyalty program allowing players in the US to earn Caesars Rewards Credits redeemable for unforgettable experiences at more than 50 world-class Caesars Rewards destinations across North America.
Maryland’s six casinos combined to generate $165,661,894 in revenue from slot machines and table games during July 2025. The statewide total was down $4,159,416 (-2.5%) compared to July 2024.
Casino gaming contributions to the state during July 2025 totaled $71,857,827, a decrease of $305,727 (-0.4%) compared to July 2024. The July 2025 contributions included $51,742,064 to the Education Trust Fund, a decrease of $272,892 (-0.5%) compared to July 2024.
Casino gaming revenues also support the communities and jurisdictions where the casinos are located, Maryland’s horse racing industry, and small, minority- and women-owned businesses.
Maryland’s six privately owned casinos offer both slot machines and table games: MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County; Live! Casino & Hotel in Anne Arundel County; Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore City; Ocean Downs Casino in Worcester County; Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County; and Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County.
The gaming revenue totals for July 2025 were as follows:
MGM National Harbor (2261 slot machines, 208 table games)
$68,587,339 in July 2025, a decrease of $3,396,384 (-4.7%) from July 2024
Live! Casino & Hotel (3832 slot machines, 179 table games)
$59,702,771 in July 2025, a decrease of $2,860,124 (-4.6%) from July 2024
Horseshoe Casino (1365 slot machines, 115 table games)
$14,415,536 in July 2025, an increase of $1,098,302 (8.2%) from July 2024
Ocean Downs Casino (900 slot machines, 18 table games)
$10,236,754 in July 2025, an increase of $615,672 (6.4%) from July 2024
Hollywood Casino (731 slot machines, 23 table games)
$7,622,642 in July 2025, an increase of $325,372 (4.5%) from July 2024
Rocky Gap Casino (630 slot machines, 12 table games)
$5,096,851 in July 2025, an increase of $57,746 (1.1%) from July 2024.
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