Ever the controversial marketer, Paddy Power is promoting its rugby betting markets with a bizarre spoof campaign that connects two unlikely and unconnected stories: the US dentist who slaughtered Cecil The Lion in Zimbabwe and the Rugby World Cup.
Led by YouTube videos, the concept of this Walter Palmer parody (played, of course, by an actor in a dentist’s white coat and toting a machine gun) is the tournament’s Big Game tipster who will express his views in tournament action by shooting animals representing each of the competing nations.
The campaign’s explanatory launch spot was rolled out on 21 September through the bookie’s own social and digital channels (and with a major PR push).
A follow-up film – the first of an expected set of match-specific spots – sees the American Hunter Dentist offer irreverent and animal-joke fuelled preview of the upcoming clash between England versus Wales.
Paddy Power said: ‘The Big Game Hunter seems to know what he’s doing and after all the injuries I’d give Wales as much chance of beating the English as Cecil starring in the Lion King.’
The supported Paddy Power campaign press release states: ‘As Japan’s shock victory over South Africa showed, picking winners can be tougher than Rhino skin, but thankfully Paddy’s trigger happy orthodontist is here to help. With his trusty high-velocity rifle trained on some of the biggest games of the tournament, the Big Game Hunter will fire-up delight for some fans while shooting down the chances of others.’
The campaign comes complete with a ‘mock disclaimer’ posted beneath the video on the bookie’s website saying: ‘Please note: no animals were harmed in the making of these videos. Unlike several promising careers in the Paddy Power marketing department. Only joking – there are no promising careers in the Paddy Power marketing department.’
Comment
This parody campaign comes just a fortnight after the real dentist in question, Walter Palmer, gave his first (and supposedly only) media interview to a US newspaper whilst flanked by a lawyer and a PR adviser.
We aren’t quite sure whether the bookie’s campaign or the big cat killer himself has worst taste and the most questionable PR strategy for image rebuilding.
Our vbiew is that Paddy Power seems always on the verge of morphing from a jester/rebel brand archetype into a brand people simply despise.
After all, it hasn’t been long since Paddy Power courted further controversy with its supposedly abandoned Ashes stunt with jokes about Rolf Harris (see case study) and the avalanche of criticism that followed its mocking immigration-themed lorry-led PR stunt leveraging the current (and repeatedly tragic) immigration crises.
Not to mention its previous deliberately controversial PR stunts that also included sponsoring former NBA star Dennis Rodman’s tour of North Korea.
Despite the recently reported proposed merger between Paddy Power and Betfair, it seems both brands will retain their identity.
Perhaps the merger and associated separate brand strategy is effectively a defensive play in case Paddy Power’s next stunt proves a step too far and mortally damages its brand?
Links
Paddy Power YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/PaddyPowerVideo
Paddy Power Website:
Paddy Power Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/paddypower?_rdr=p
Paddy Power Twitter:
https://twitter.com/paddypower
Paddy Power Google+:
https://plus.google.com/100434003878517860547/posts
