The Creative
Paddy Power, famed for producing edgy, offensive and sometimes hilarious adverts has produced a new set of spots. These ads feature Paddy Power’s ‘head of complaints’ led by comedian Kayvan Novak of Fonejacker and Facejacker fame.
In this spot, a nutty pianist calls the head of complaints as he struggles to bet in-play whilst playing the piano and watching football. Insinuating something silly, Novak covers his mouth with his hand as he says a solution over the phone. In the end, the pianist uses his little toe to place his bet and the ad concludes with a customary ‘Paddy Power, You’re Welcome!’ tagline.
Paddy Power rarely produces formulaic ads for their products and this sports bet spot is not different. Rather, it captures the imagination and attention of the viewer with comedy, an approach Paddy Power has pioneered. Instead of relying on traditional direct response (DR) methods in their creative, Paddy Power uses a strategy of comedy and shareability to target their audience of young males aged 18-34.
Beyond the comedy, Paddy Power educates and sells to its viewers via promotion of ‘One Touch Betting; the fastest way to bet in-play’. The bookmaker market is extremely congested and competitive and it is important to have a point of difference vs. your competitors; as well as on price they compete on usability and experience.
From a DR perspective, this advert offers little in conventional themes. With no clear call to action, the spot simply educates the viewer on Paddy Power’s app. This brand piece ensures Paddy Power is front of mind for all betting and crucially ‘bet in-play’ betting.
The Media
The sports betting market is largely interested in live sport, namely football. Additionally, it is liable for the most expensive buying premiums for access to live sport. Evidence of this is visible here, with 78% of impacts delivered on sports stations.
The majority of this spend is in live sport and 50% of impacts are delivered on a Saturday and Sunday (key football match days). Considering efficiency is difficult in relevant content, brands must look to roadblock other bookmakers by bidding for the top live sports airtime packages, blocking out the competition.
However, this is not to say that other bookmakers do not use DR methods. Many drive viewers to apps and usually offer some sort of financial or free-play incentive. Paddy Power uses other creatives to do this in other campaigns.
