Paddy Power has saddled up with agency BBH London to ride the line of rivalry between Ireland and Great Britain ahead of The 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
In the Irish brand’s 60-second spot, Hollywood star Colm Meaney returns to promote Paddy Power and stands face to face with Paddy Power football ambassador Peter Crouch at the gates of the racetrack.
In a tense opposition standoff between Irish and British racegoers, Crouch, his wife Abbey Clancy and ‘Barry’ from Eastenders (Shaun Williamson) do their best to insult their counterparts from across the Irish Sea.
The banter between the two parties sees Ireland’s football team criticised for failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and England’s football squad branded “penalty chokers”. When the insults prove to be too much for Eastenders’ ‘Barry’, he eventually crosses the line and roars: “Tayto munchers!” The awkward exchange soon comes to close hereafter.
Directed by Freddie Waters and produced by Pulse, the gambling brand’s ad concludes with Crouchy and Meaney standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they push their way through the turnstiles.
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“As a brand, we take huge pride in our craft as storytellers,” Paddy Power marketing director Michelle Spillane said. “The skill comes in spinning tales with strong cultural resonance in a light-hearted way that’s pickled with razor-sharp wit. That’s where the magic lives and how we know it will entertain the hell out of our audience.
“This style of advertising marks a return to Paddy Power at its best. We wanted to show our customers that their wagers are part of a far broader narrative and get them under starter’s orders for the greatest show in horse racing.”
As well as TV, the campaign will roll out via social, print, out-of-home (OOH) and radio platforms.
BBH CEO Karen Martin added: “We’re thrilled to be working with Paddy Power, what a brand. We’re delighted that our first work is for Cheltenham, such an important event in the horse racing calendar. Our lively take on the English vs Irish rivalry offers a fresh perspective on its legacy as a mischievous brand not afraid to have fun. And we’re here for all of it.”
