Shortly after the marketing alignment with Paddy Power, which took place in the first half of the year, Betfair made its advertising debut. The gaming giant has just launched its multi-channel campaign “Ready?”. It is a product of the joint efforts of Betfair and the London-based creative agency Lucky Generals and covers all channels of communication TV, radio, social media, newspapers, etc.
Back in May, Betfair officials picked Lucky Generals as a creative lead agency. Meanwhile, the post-merger synergy strategy was put into practice and Paddy Power Betfair registered the first corporate savings within the marketing department.
As far as the “Ready” campaign is concerned, it has quickly gained popularity and people with knowledge of the matter defined it as yet another successful attempt at balancing between sports engagement and core brand communications.
What makes the “Ready” campaign stand out from the rest is the fact that it does not promote competitive odds or any kind of bonuses players can qualify for. Some people drew a parallel between the advertising campaigns Paddy Power is famous for and Betfair’s debut campaign.
The 60-second commercial was launched for the first time at half-time in Leicester vs Man United and it is in sharp contrast with Paddy’s advertising products and the laddish humour the sports betting industry is associated with.
The commercial uses a voice-over based on the quote of the famous heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey and it is mainly focused on what it takes to become a champion. “A champion is someone who’s ready when the gong rings – not just before, not just after – but when it rings. Ready?”
Betfair has long been regarded as one of the bookmakers that impose changes in the betting industry and introduce revolutionary products such as Acca Edge or Price Rush.
Upon presenting the campaign, Lucky Generals said the main objective of Betfair was to differentiate itself from the other bookmakers and Paddy Power, in particular.
Paul Gambrill, Marketing and Brand Director at Paddy Power Betfair, commented on the “Ready” campaign and said that company representatives considered it a fantastic method for capturing anticipation of sports and betting. He also added that the time was right for applying a new, innovative approach in the sports betting industry.
Soon the campaign will be launched in Bulgaria, Spain, Denmark, Italy.
