Yep, that’s right, you should work for MI5. The Paddy Power-sponsored Huddersfield Town shirt was a spoof.
That monstrosity – which caused Twitter to melt with its obnoxious sash logo spreading from shoulder to hip – was just the pre-cursor to the brand’s new season campaign, ‘Save Our Shirt’.
Created alongside Octagon and VCCP, ‘Save Our Shirt’ is calling on sponsors to stop bastardising football shirts.
In an era of multiple brands emblazoned on kit, Paddy Power is urging clubs to stop their shirts being treated as billboards.
And they’ve put their money where their mouth is. This season, Paddy Power will sponsor Huddersfield Town by unsponsoring them – relinquishing the front of shirt space they’re entitled to as part of their role as title sponsors.
Michelle Spillane, Paddy Power’s Brand Marketing Director, said:
“As a brand, we always try to be on the side of the fans – we know they love to wear their club colours with pride, but they don’t love being a walking advertising hoarding. Which is what Save Our Shirt is all about. At Paddy Power, we know our place as a sponsor – and it’s not on your shirt.”
Mark Orbine, ECD VCCP Blue added,
“Working together, we believe we have created a campaign that highlights a real issue for football fans today, and it’s fantastic working with a brand who will put their money where their mouth is. Being able to do this with Paddy Power also allows us to do this in a mischievous way that only Paddy can.”
Henry Nash, Head of Strategy, Octagon commented,
“In the face of football’s crass commercialisation and relentless exploitation of fans, our ambition was to do something good for the game. There was really only one brand brave enough to pull this off. We’re beyond thrilled that Paddy Power have taken a stand with Save Our Shirt. We believe this idea will have a lasting legacy – not just on the brand but on the game itself.” The forthcoming campaign will include social, TV, Print, Digital, PR and sponsorship.
–ENDS–
For more information contact: Fiona Magill, Group PR Director, VCCP, fmagill@vccp.com 07545101153
Chris Sobczynski, Marketing & Business Development Director, Octagon, Chris.Sobczynski@octagon.com 07876 793 649
CREDITS
Project name – Paddy Power. Save Our Shirt.
Client – Paddy Power
OCTAGON
Head of UK: Joel Seymour-Hyde
Planning Director: Henry Nash
Creative Director: Josh Green
Creatives: Joe Stuart, Cos Georgiou, Charlie Warcup, Joe Goicoechea
VCCP
Executive Creative Director – Mark Orbine
Creative Directors – Kevin Masters / Christine Turner
Creatives – Chris Willis / Paul Kocur
TV Producer – Simon Plant / Carly Parris
Assistant Producer – Sydney McGauran
Planning Director – Christine Asbury
Planner – Max Macbeath
Head of Account Management – Philip Higham
Account Director – Sam Daniels
PADDY POWER
Michelle Spillane – Marketing Director
David Sandall – Head of Brand
Emer McCarthy – Head of Brand
Lee Price – Head of PR
Will Gunton – Marketing Manager
Dan Oates – Brand Manager
PRODUCTION
Production Company – Academy
Director – Peter Cattaneo
Producer – Mark Whittow – Williams
Editor – Nik Hindson @ The Assembly Rooms
Post Production – Framestore
Colourist – Steffan Perry
Sound Design – Parv Thind and Dugal Macdiarmid @ Wave
Lighting Cameraman – Jim Jolliffe
MEDIA AGENCY
Mediacom
