Paddy Power Betfair Launch Latest Unique Advertising Strategy

Paddy Power Betfair have been making a name for themselves for their unique and interesting guerrilla marketing campaigns, so it should come as no surprise that the company leapt on the first visit by the Pope to Ireland in many years.

Confession

After commissioning a survey that reportedly stated that 25% of Irish Catholics had not taken confession in over a decade, Paddy Power Betfair set up a huge “drive-through confessional” that was set-up conveniently close to the site of the Pope’s address in Dublin.

Offering “an express lane to eternal salvation for Ireland’s lapsed Catholics” the drive-through booth was designed to allow one to “Complete your contrition with your keys in the ignition”.

Barbed Comments

Taking a sly dig at the issues that have been reported within the Catholic Church, Paddy Power Betfair also made an appeal directly to the “Catholic hierarchy”, suggesting they “… take a spin through our mega drive-thru confession box while you’re here”.

Reputation

While there has been no reported backlash from the Church or anywhere else at the time of writing, the aim of this campaign is clearly to evoke debate and discussion of the issues in the Church, something Paddy Power Betfair is becoming well known for.

With advertising campaigns designed to raise awareness of the destruction of the Rainforest and the treatment of Polar Bears, both of which came alongside donations from the operator.

However, some in the industry are suggesting that the company’s love of controversial advertising has gone on long enough.

Whether a decline in first quarter profits is enough to make the company assume the same remains to be seen, but based on their most recent stunt, it doesn’t look like Paddy Power Betfair’s cheeky, if risky, approach to marketing is going anywhere any time soon.