Ex-Paddy Power director’s marketing firm acquires Irish film production company
Ken Robertson’s The Tenth Man takes over Hinterland Films as his business rebrands to Fearless Studios, with plans to add 20 new jobs at its Dublin office
The Tenth Man, the creative marketing business run by former Paddy Power head of mischief Ken Robertson, has completed its acquisition of film production company Hinterland Films.
The Tenth Man is headed up by former Paddy Power director Robertson, who serves as the company’s CEO.
Robertson spent a combined 16 years working for the operator in various roles between November 1999 and December 2017, before leaving to establish The Tenth Man in January 2018.
He also had a brief stint away from Paddy Power as head of brand at Sportsbet from August 2014 to April 2015.
The Tenth Man works with brands in the sports betting industry, including clients such as Fanatics, Superbet and PointsBet.
The Hinterland Films acquistion forms part of the marketing firm’s two-year €2m (£1.7m) investment strategy which will help the company expand and create 20 new jobs in its Dublin office.
Hinterland Films was formed by Lorraine Geoghegan in 2015, with the business going on to work with brands including Beats by Dre, Guinness, ESPN, Moncler and Budweiser.
In addition to the purchase, The Tenth Man is also set to undergo a rebrand to Fearless Studios.
The rebrand will see the company offer a wider range of services such as motion graphics, 3D animation and post-production.
Speaking about the acquisition, Robertson said: “The acquisition of Hinterland Films is an important step in expanding our production capabilities.
“Lorraine has built an impressive business, and we believe this partnership will allow us to meet the market where the creative industry now needs to be.
“Clients increasingly demand genuinely relatable content, immersive storytelling and visual spectacles. Anything less than this makes a brand irrelevant, and this acquisition allows us to stay ahead of that curve.”
As part of the takeover, Geoghegan will assume the role of production director at Fearless Studios.
She added: “I’m excited to join The Tenth Man at this pivotal time. The agency has a revolutionary vision for the future of commercial production, and I’m looking forward to helping shape that through Fearless Studios.
“By combining Hinterland’s production expertise with The Tenth Man’s creative strength and cultural prowess, we’ll be able to offer clients a streamlined service that covers every aspect of film production.”
Earlier this year, Robertson and The Tenth Man MD Gethin Evans penned opinion pieces for EGR exploring the changing face of gambling marketing as regulatory headwinds continue to hit the sector.