DUBLIN, IRELAND — Move over Mary, Irish betting firm Paddy Power has entered the Christmas TV ad war…and delivered a cracker. The well-known bookie delivers its take on the true meaning of Christmas as we prepare for a festive season basted in World Cup juiciness, served with a side of Southgate.
Celebrating the unprecedented advent of football and festive traditions colliding, the mischievous brand has sidled up to the usual crimbo clichés and promptly ripped them to shreds.
With the help of Shameless star David Threlfall’s unmistakable voice, Paddy Power delivers a festive delicacy, dropping scenes that pay homage to football’s most iconic moments all wrapped up in Christmassy paper and tied in a bow.
Flares clash with turkeys, lads get their knits out, we see what happens when a Christmas carol organist goes rogue, football-obsessed nans kneel before football managers, and former England great Peter Crouch collides with a bouncer in the betting firm’s reimagining of a tale as old as time itself as the striker struggles to find room at “The Inn.”
The “Where were you in 22?” campaign is created by Droga5 London and supported by a full suite of razor-sharp creative, all of which pushes the boundaries of bedlam. Everything is on the table (including sprouts!), from OOH, social, press, some kitsch crockery (illustrated by artist Vince Pastiche), a World Cup edition of Charades, Christmas jumpers, and even a special build OOH festive light display of that famous Frenchman who delivered an iconic World Cup memory that sticks in the head.
Paddy Power is offering a free Bet Builder on all England Games. In a semi-ironic display of British patriotism, the better England does, the more Paddy Power coughs up.
‘Tis the season for giving after all!
The campaign by Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, is a celebration of the unprecedented collision of the World Cup and Christmas festivities. “Where were you in 22?” is a rallying cry to the nation to make the most of this historic moment. Designed to position Paddy Power as the home of football during the World Cup, the integrated campaign launched on November 11, running across TV, OOH, press, and social media throughout the World cup period.
Michelle Spillane, Marketing and Brand Director for Paddy Power UK & Ireland added, “For the first time in our lives, football fans and brands are faced with the prospect of Christmas colliding with a Winter World Cup. It’s unchartered territory for all of us. To Paddy Power, it presented us with double the opportunity to surprise and delight football fans .“Our aim was to create an ad campaign that celebrates the beauty in both, that captures the mood of the nation and gets fans excited about the prospect of this unforgettable opportunity to mark where they were in 2022 during this once-in-a-lifetime tournament.”
Shelley Smoler, Chief Creative Officer for Droga5 London, added, “We are the middle children of history. Born too late to explore the earth. Too early to explore the stars. But just in time to witness a World Cup at Christmas. This campaign celebrates this unprecedented and historic moment.”
CREDITS:
Client Credits: Paddy Power
Michelle Spillane – Brand & Marketing Director
Patrick Boyce – Brand Marketing Manager
Leah Spears – Head of Brand Strategy
James O’Reilly – Head of Sportsbook Marketing
Natasha Son- Brand Manager
Aggie Rabadia- Brand executive
Rachael Kane – PR Manager UK&I
Agency Credits: Droga5 London
Chief Creative Officer – Shelley Smoler
Creative Director – Martin Beswick, Ed Redgrave
Creatives – Sara Sutherland, Ash Hamilton
Head of Design – Stephanie McArdle
Design Director – George Goldsack
Creative Artworkers – Paul Callaby, Robert David
Head of Strategy – Damien Le Castrec
Strategy Director – Aaron Harridge
Group Account Director – Oli Morgan
Account Director – Ben Allan
Head of Production – Peter Montgomery
Agency Producer – Ben Catford
Assistant Producer Olly West
Business Affairs Debbie Knox
Director / Production Co – Rich Hall / RiffRaff
Producer – Kate Brady
Editor – Ben Corfield at Stitch
Post Production – nineteentwenty
Sound Design – String & Tins
DoP – Hunter Daly
