Gala To Drop Sharon?

It has been reported in various industry journals that Gala Bingo may decide not renew Sharon Osbourne's contract, even though it has the legal option to retain the X Factor celebrity.

Sharon was introduced as the "Face of Gala" in a series of promotional advertisements launched less than a year ago, and few television viewers in the UK can have failed to have seen at least one of her commercials. The most popular one shows Sharon sitting by her pool, telling the viewers how she still gets a buzz from playing Gala Bingo online despite her celebrity status. In true TV-Land style, she just happens to win a game as the commercial comes to a close. It's a fun, albeit far-fetched scenario, and one of several that have certainly helped Gala Bingo to increase its profile.

But the question that now seems to be whether Sharon Osbourne is the right person to keep the Gala Bingo marketing momentum going. The Marketing Director at Gala, Kate Howe, has been reported as saying that the company needs to increase the proportion of younger adults playing bingo. Presumably the fear is that older players who are staunch regulars may not be so keen to play when the smoking ban comes into force in July.

Referring to Sharon Osbourne, Kate Howe has gone on record as saying, "We wouldn't walk away from her lightly," so Gala are obviously appreciative of what the celebrity wife of rock star Ozzy has done for them, and they aren't likely to make any rash decisions. But if it is decided that a younger brand ambassador is going to be more effective in attracting a younger crowd then Sharon may well be replaced.

But what kind of celebrity would Gala be looking for in that event? One market commentator suggests that Gala should go for a bubbly, down-to-earth celebrity with a background in pop music or television soap opera. Such a celebrity would be likely to have an existing fan base of young women who may not have tried playing bingo before but would be able to appreciate the fun potential that a night out at a Gala Bingo club offers.

22nd January 2008