Ah, Paddy Power, what would we do without your antics? What would you do without your antics? You’d have fewer lawsuits, that’s for sure!
Bookmaker and online casino provider Paddy Power, whose Australian affiliate Sportsbet was roundly slammed for their hot-air balloon stunt in Melbourne, which was in the shape of the Christ the Redeemer statue and bore the Twitter hashtag #keepthefaith, have further stoked the fires of controversy with a subtle rebranding that was definitely not endorsed by the major sporting legend after whom they renamed themselves.
The Irish bookmakers took the unusual step of rebranding 10 shops in Ireland and 10 in England from the well-known Paddy Power to the topical Péle Power. However, the rebranded shops were changed back to their original livery after Legends 10, the Brazilian footballer’s agent, sent an “extremely aggressive” cease-and-desist letter to Paddy Power.
We’ve covered some of Paddy Power’s other risqué marketing stunts before, but this one is obviously pushing the boundaries a bit. However, they went further, with a bit of environmental destruction also thrown into the mix.
An image circulated on the internet showed a wide stretch of the Amazon forest with a message of support for the English team. Reading “C’mon England,” it was signed “PP.” However, the seeming deforestation turned out to be just a clever piece of Photoshop, with a follow-up image reading “We didn’t give the Amazon a Brazilian.” Paddy Power claimed to be bringing attention to environmental destruction in South America.
How much attention they’ve brought to environmental causes is debatable, but one thing is for sure: Paddy Power have remained in the news. What will happen next time?
So if you want to play on one of their great slots, or you’d like to give their sportsbook a try, log on to Paddy Power and get playing today!