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Ryder Cup UEFA Paddy Power

Paddy Power head of mischief to speak at The Drum's conference on future of marketing

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By Stephen Lepitak, -

October 5, 2012 | 4 min read

Paddy Power's head of mischief Ken Roberston is set to speak at a conference which will examine how the marketing business is rapidly changing beyond all recognition.

Robertson will deliver a keynote address on 'Making Mischief Connect the Content' during Four Minute Warning, an event organised by The Drum.

The session will see him share the much talked about marketing techniques that the bookmaker has implemented in recent months. He will also discuss how by controversial offline activity can be used to pump-prime widespread online and social reaction.

So far this year, Paddy Power’s mischief department has installed a giant jockey on the famous 2,000 year-old Uffington Horse in Oxfordshire, convinced Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner to flash a pair of Paddy Power branded underpants after scoring in Euro 2012 and won a high-profile legal battle with the organising committee of the London Olympic Games over a tongue-in-cheek poster campaign.

‘Four Minute Warning’ is a one-day conference focused on the digital revolution that is reshaping the fabric of business, culture and society. The event is aimed at “business thinkers, shapers and doers who are involved in understanding, creating, planning and implementing business tactics and looking at different ways of doing so”.

Other speakers will be confirmed in the coming days.

‘Four Minute Warning’ takes place in London on 5 December 2012

Paddy Power's Hollywood Sign

Back in 2010, Paddy Power erected a Hollywood style sign on a hill next to the Cheltenham Racecourse which gained a great deal of press coverage and TV visibility. The brand’s attempt to do the same at Celtic Manor during the Ryder Cup however led to a court telling the company it had three days to dismantle the sign. Again however, the story generated mass coverage.

Ladies Day transgender campaign

The campaign in a nutshell (also see video):"Ian Reed wrote on facebook.com/paddypower about Cheltenham. We most definitely hear you Ian! Visit facebook.com/paddypowerpaddypower.com"This was banned by the ASA after over 400 hundred complaints.

Chavs

This ad got banner after four days - featuring a man tranqualising Cheltenham racecourse shooting anyone that looked like they might have a Chavvy bone in their body - the brand responded to the banning of this ad; "Shockingly, our last TV Ad has been banned after just four days on TV. That's some kind of record, even for us. This commercial, dubbed 'Chavs', didn't even pass the powers that be so it will never be seen on TV. "That might disappoint Dan Collins who wrote on our Facebook wall to inspire the Chavs video. But at least Dan knows: We hear you!"

Nicolas Bedtner

The Danish striker ended up facing a huge fine (paid by Paddy Power)
after he showed his Paddy Power branded underwear during the 2012 European Championships - thus contravening Ambush Marketing rules by Uefa.

London 2012 Sponsorship billboard

This clever and cheeky
Billboard campaign saw the brand challenge LOCOG's ambush marketing rules - and win - by claiming to sponsor the biggest sporting event in London (France) the bookmaker drew a lot of praise - and following legal action on both side - the challenge by LOCOG to pull it was dropped as a result of widespread public support.

Ryder Cup 2012 - skywriting tweets

Another brilliant piece of ambush marketing
saw the brand hire a plane to relay tweeted messages through #goeurope - these included 'Rory's gonna getcha', 'Tiger loves a bit of rough' and 'Do it for Seve'.
Ryder Cup UEFA Paddy Power

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