Ladbrokes Retains Ad Agency Neverland
Leading sports betting operator Ladbrokes has announced that it will retain Neverland as its primary creative agency. The news follows the success of the advertising agency’s popular campaign for Ladbrokes earlier this year, ahead of the Euro 2020 Championships.
The successful campaign was Neverland’s first for a sports betting brand.
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Successful Partnership
The working relationship between Neverland and Ladbrokes began last April when parent company Entain made the decision to split the creative accounts of its flagship betting brands, Ladbrokes and Coral. The two sportsbooks are amongst the best-known high-street bookies in the UK, and Entain is one of the few betting groups to be listed on the FTSE 100.
Prior to bringing in Neverland, advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty has been responsible for producing campaigns for Ladbrokes and Coral since 2019. While Coral’s creative advertising was kept in the hands of BBH, owned by the Publicis Groupe, Ladbrokes’ creative account was taken on by independent advertising agency, Neverland.
The bookmaker is Neverland’s first-ever sports betting client, and the pairing has already proved to be a strong match. “This Time We Play Together” has become one of Ladbrokes most iconic and effective advertising campaigns to date. The advert, which featured 190 drummers, celebrated the unifying nature of international football.
In breathtaking HD and with Rock & Roll Queen by The Subways echoing throughout, the TV ad really upped the ante in the run-up to the postponed Euro 2020 Championships. The use of hundreds of drummers on the pitch, in the commentary box, at the bus stop and in living rooms proved an effective method of representing the tension and excitement of a penalty shootout.
The campaign differed from those of other betting operators, as it placed more focus on football than gambling. This was a smart choice, as it opened Ladbrokes up to a bigger audience of football fans that may not have bet on matches before. With its strong brand identity, it stood out from the crowd by taking its own unique approach.
Pick of the Week
Critics had voiced concerns over the sheer number of gambling adverts aired during live football matches, with some even calling on ITV to ban gambling ads during the tournament. Campaigners from social policy group Care made the call, citing concerns for those vulnerable to gambling harms.
However, according to the Betting and Gaming Council, which represents the UK’s casinos, online operators and betting firms, the number of gambling ads aired on ITV during this year’s Euros was significantly lower than the number aired during the 2018 World Cup. In fact, data shows that figure to have dropped by 47%.
According to the BGC, that reduction is a direct result of the voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban introduced by BGC members in 2019. The ban prevents betting ads from being shown on TV from five minutes before the beginning of a live match until five minutes after it has ended. However, the ban only applies before the 9pm watershed, and campaigners say that should change.
The Ladbrokes advert not only resonated with football fans and punters, but with the advertising industry too. It was selected as Campaign’s “Pick of the Week” advert, a significant accolade considering that many other leading betting operators, including William Hill released fresh campaigns for the Euros at the same time.
According to Campaign, Ladbrokes managed to make its theme of togetherness ring true more than its competitors. It also highlighted the creators’ choice to focus on the excitement of the game itself and the shared experiences around football. It praised the fact that Ladbrokes had also partnered with #WeMakeEvents to show its support for the music industry, which has struggled during the pandemic.
Ladbrokes Supports Music Industry
That partnership saw some of the UK’s best-loved music venues lit up in red lights, to symbolize the state of the emergency that the industry is in. These venues included Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club, the Albert Hall in Llandrindod Wells, Dreamland in Margate, Barrowlands in Glasgow and Camden’s Roundhouse.
While nightclubs in England have now been given permission to reopen after sixteen months of closure, the road to recovery for the industry will be a long one yet. Ladbrokes pledged to make a significant donation to the #WeMakeEvents campaign, to show its support for the 700,000 highly-skilled professionals in live entertainment impacted by the pandemic. According to a survey carried out by the industry collective, a third of employees have already left the sector.
Following on from the phenomenal success of that advertising campaign, Ladbrokes has decided to continue the partnership and keep Neverland on as its foremost creative agency. Neverland will lead its advertising strategies from here on in, working alongside The7Sstars, which will lead as strategic media planning agency for both Ladbrokes and Coral.
Entain’s Managing Director for the UK and Ireland, Dominic Grounsell, confirmed the news in an interview with Campaign. Grounsell had nothing but praise for Neverland’s innovative approach, which has helped Ladbrokes to market itself to a wider audience of football fans.
Speaking on behalf of the operator, Grounsell commended the agency’s creative work, strategic vision and fresh thinking. In continuing to work together, the Managing Director hopes that the two firms can foster a positive image for the bookmaker moving forward. Neverland was co-founded by Jon Forsyth, who is also responsible for co-founding another of the UK’s top ad agencies, Adam&Eve/DDB in 2019.
