Ladbrokes launches creative Euro 2020 ad campaign

Ladbrokes has launched a major new marketing campaign ahead of this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament.

The campaign is led by a 60-second TV film designed to showcase the excitement football brings to fans with the live entertainment sector set to bounce back post-Covid.

The ad combines football with rock and roll and is the first work created for Ladbrokes by creative agency Neverland, which became the operator’s lead creative agency in March.

It will launch as part of a media campaign planned and executed by the7stars on Saturday 29 May to coincide with the all-English Champions League final, across BT Sport and Twitter.

Prior to the launch, there will also be a series of teasers running across Sky Sports.

The short, directed by Sam Brown of Rogue Films, uses hundreds of drummers to evoke the sense of anticipation and tension that football fans feel during a penalty.

Filmed in May, the production employed 190 skilled drummers. The shoot also included 200 extras and employed the use of drone filming, motion capture, body scanning and CGI artwork.

Del Amitri drummer Ash Soan was responsible for arranging and composing the drummers in the shoot, while the song on show is Rock & Roll Queen, which was a hit for The Subways in 2005.

Dominic Grounsell, Ladbrokes Coral MD of UK sports brands, said: “For many, this year’s European Championships will be the first live entertainment experience they enjoy together with friends, family and other fans.

“This groundbreaking campaign brilliantly captures the anticipation that viewers will feel during the tournament.

“We cast hundreds of skilled and experienced drummers to depict the tension that fans will feel during key moments in a match and we’re very excited about how this campaign celebrates the unparalleled joy, excitement and anticipation that only live entertainment can bring,” he added.