What does a Project & Brand Manager do at Napoleon Sports & Casino?

Tine Tondeur is a freelance Project & Brand Manager at Napoleon Sports & Casino. Two years ago NedWorks contacted her for a short project, but this quickly evolved into a longer assignment: "NedWorks ensured a good match, because I feel at home here."

What do you do as a Project & Brand Manager?

"I started coordinating the above-the-line marketing linked to the Euro 2016 Championship. Major sporting events are important to Napoleon Sports & Casino and I was initially asked to step in temporarily. Since it was such a nice experience, I decided to stay on a little longer.

In the meantime, as a Project & Brand Manager I'm now responsible for the complete offline marketing of our online platforms. I take care of the advertising campaigns on TV to attract new customers as well as advertisements to increase our brand awareness. Sometimes I'm involved in unique projects. Right now, we are preparing the construction of a new casino in Knokke and Middelkerke."

Do you like your job?

"Very much. I can experience large events such as a European Championship or a World Cup, in which an entire country is enthralled, from up close. Even those besides, I have a very varied job.

Our marketing team can switch quickly and respond flexibly to new opportunities. There is not a single day which is like the previous one. When I come home in the evening, I always have a story to tell.

It is a big challenge for me to work here. Napoleon Sports & Casino has hired several international managers with a lot of experience in the online casino world, from whom I have learned a lot. Super fascinating!"

Has Napoleon already come a far way in the digital transformation?

“Definitely. We are a pioneer in the field of digital advertising. This is a playground for digital marketers: we can test new things and evaluate the results we yield through these actions.

We will start tracking our offline marketing: what happens if we broadcast a TV commercial? What are the best times to broadcast these? What are the right programs to reach the right people? We follow up on all of these questions digitally. We measure all our marketing efforts and we analyze the results.

As a result, I have discovered that our customers are extremely diverse: our customer portfolio comprises various profiles. When I started working here, I wanted to draw up personas based on our customers. But this just doesn't work, because every player is different. It is not necessary either, because the data we collect is much more interesting to learn from."

How did you experience the collaboration with NedWorks?

"NedWorks contacted me when my assignment at the time was coming to an end. A week later, I was invited to Napoleon for an interview, and another week later it was a done deal.

In March 2016, I started at Napoleon Sports & Casino on a 1-month assignment. Fast forward 2.5 years later and I am still here. Proof that it's an exciting assignment and that NedWorks ensured a good match. I feel at home here."

What are your ambitions as a freelancer?

"I started as a freelancer four years ago because I wanted to focus on short assignments and work with various companies. But I'm liking this one so much that I am still working at Napoleon (laughs).

Right now, I don't need a new assignment, this position is varied and challenging enough for me. We are now in a transition period with regard to our branding. How are we going to position ourselves in the market? How do we find the right mix of offline and online media? How do we map out the further digital process? I would like to keep working on that in the coming period."

How do you keep your knowledge up-to-date?

"I read a lot. I keep track of what is going on in digital marketing by looking at what other companies are doing. Not only in our sector and not only in Belgium; many international companies have advanced considerably.

However, you cannot be on top of every trend, because everything is changing rapidly in terms of digital marketing. I also learn a lot from the specialised profiles we attracted to get the right knowledge."

What tip do you have for starting freelancers?

"Before I started as a freelancer, I spent years working as an accountant manager at an agency. Sitting on the client's side is a new experience. It's an enrichment to get to know both sides. It helps you to better understand the hesitations or frustrations of a client or why a marketing agency works in a certain way. I would certainly recommend that to other freelancers.

And also: ask questions and keep your eyes open. As a freelancer you have to understand the most important digital evolutions. But if you don't understand something, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You'll find that many people will happily share their knowledge with you."