Ladbrokes brings brand-led marketing approach to online casino
Sports-led operator develops new minute-long TV ad in combination with creative agency Neverland
Ladbrokes has unveiled a new TV advertising campaign for its online casino offering built on the tagline “we play together”.
The short was shot by Emmy-nominated director Sam Brown and features a massive game of balloon keepy-uppy, which starts in a fairly mundane office setting before an entire city scrambles to get in on the action.
The star of the ad is a red balloon, which escapes from an office window after being kicked and slide tackled about during a leaving drinks party.
The game then escalates as it moves through the city, with hundreds of people trying to get a hand to the balloon to keep it in the air, before it eventually pops on a nearby thornbush.
Shot in Ukraine earlier this year, the production was filmed in line with Covid guidelines and included hundreds of actors and extras, as well as the use of CGI to build even larger crowds.
The ad is set to the song Let’s Go by Norwegian garage rock band The Laundrettes. The frantic rock and roll soundtrack is reminiscent of the operator’s Euro 2020 campaign.
This is the third campaign delivered for Ladbrokes by creative agency Neverland since they were appointed as the operator’s lead creative agency in May.
The ad will launch across digital on 17 September and on TV on 18 September, with a full minute-long spot during Channel 4’s broadcast of Deadpool.
Dominic Grounsell, Entain MD for UK and Ireland digital, said: “We love this film and can’t wait to see it air across digital and TV.
“It’s a campaign that is all about community, shared fun and entertainment, and brilliantly brings to life our “we play together” strapline.
“It’s also the first time that anyone in our industry has launched a brand-led campaign for casino but this reflects the confidence we have in Ladbrokes as an entertainment brand,” he added.