Alea Emphasizes Founder-Led Brand Building and the Power of Focused Storytelling in Marketing Decoded Interview
In a revealing episode of the newly launched Marketing Decoded interview series at ICE Barcelona 2026, Marit von Stedingk, Head of PR and Communications at Alea, shared insights into the company's unique approach to marketing in the iGaming industry. Highlighting radical simplicity, cultural values, and founder visibility, von Stedingk decoded how Alea has carved out a distinctive brand identity amid a crowded market. The series, which features top B2B iGaming marketing leaders, aims to uncover the strategies driving success in this fast-evolving sector.
Alea, a leading game aggregator, stands out by prioritizing clarity in its messaging. "The nice thing about Alea is that at its core, it's a very simple product, which is a very simple message. We are first and foremost the game aggregator. We do one thing very well," von Stedingk explained.
This focus on a single core value allows other services to emerge naturally, fostering trust in an industry often overwhelmed by complexity. By anchoring communications to aggregation, Alea ensures that its propositions remain straightforward and credible.
The company's roots as a former B2C operator add authenticity to its B2B strategy. "We come from a position of having been operators ourselves. Way back in the day, this was built because Alea was an operator and we needed a game aggregation system that we could trust," von Stedingk noted.
This operator perspective informs Alea's role as a strategic partner, with account managers providing market-specific game insights. Serving both operators and providers, Alea positions itself as a guide in the iGaming ecosystem, emphasizing dual-sided support.
Founder-led marketing plays a pivotal role in building trust. Alexandre Tomic's active presence on podcasts and LinkedIn serves as a gateway to the brand. "With that specific part, I think that's a lot more branding, a lot more PR than lead generation," von Stedingk clarified. Tomic's visibility signals accessibility and investment, while co-founder Charlotte Lecomte contributes to cultural alignment through founder interviews in hiring. These conversations prioritize fit over skills, ensuring Alea's values permeate the organization.
Culture extends to event activations, such as the oxygen bar and hyperbaric chamber at ICE Barcelona, which reflect genuine care rather than gimmicks. "We have a hyperbaric chamber and an oxygen bar here, not because it's a gimmick, but because we genuinely feel like, come and look after yourself at Alea," von Stedingk said. This approach underscores Alea's people-first philosophy: "We have the people. That's our biggest selling point. The people here are kind. They want to get to know you. They're not trying to oversell you. We care for our partners like we care for our employees."
As a storyteller, von Stedingk measures success by narrative alignment. "I have found that as the year has progressed, more and more journalists and magazines are coming to me and giving me articles where I don't actually have to give notes," she shared. The goal is reaching "act three," where the brand narrative stands independently.
The Alea Goddess symbolises this depth, rooted in luck but embodying reinvention and complexity. "What most people don't notice at first is that she's actually wearing a mask. She's an interdimensional being. When you take off the mask, there's something a little bit dark about her," von Stedingk revealed.
Looking forward, Alea prioritises quality content amid industry saturation. Tomic's Under Pressure podcast exemplifies this, focusing on depth over volume. "You need to have key moments where people are going to take the time. Visibility just for the sake of visibility isn't enough. You need to have some kind of substance," von Stedingk observed.
Marketing Decoded, presented by Excellent Expo and produced by iGaming Real Talk in collaboration with iGaming Republic, continues with episodes featuring leaders from 18Peaches, GR8 Tech, SOFTSWISS, Elantil, Endorphina, and EveryMatrix.
About Alea
Alea is a game aggregator providing over 17,000 games from more than 170 providers to operators and platforms worldwide. Founded in 2012 as a B2C online casino operator, the company restructured in 2020 to focus entirely on B2B game aggregation. That journey from operator to aggregator gives Alea a perspective on the iGaming ecosystem that few technology partners can match.
About Marketing Decoded
Marketing Decoded is a special interview series launched at ICE Barcelona 2026, featuring the best B2B iGaming CMOs and marketing leaders. It decodes the strategies and workings behind top marketing companies in the sector, brought to you by Excellent Expo, a reliable stand partner for creating excellent expo presence.