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Betfair Embraces Heritage and Challenges Convention in Sports Betting with 'Play Different'

Created by Pablo, the campaign heralds a departure from industry norms, rooted in the brands trailblazing heritage

By Creative Salon

01 June 2024

Marking the cumulation of over 18 months of work to reposition the brand, one of the world’s largest international online sports betting providers, Betfair is back with a brand new look.

Tapping into Betfair’s heritage as the original challenger brand in the category when it launched in 2000, the new positiioning and brand platform was developed by creative agency partner, Pablo.

The new platform ‘Play Different’ was born out of customer insights gathered as part of a multi-part study that measured components such as key motivations and drivers in the market and brand associations. It celebrates those who challenge the status quo and embrace unconventional thinking - something that in the world of sport is championed and celebrated and resonates well with customers. It is rooted in Betfair’s heritage as the original trailblazer in the category who were born from unconventional thinking and transformed the sports betting industry.

Since its inception, Betfair has pushed the betting industry forward, always doing things differently, and finding ways for betting to be driven and owned by the bettors.

This all started with the birth of the Betfair Exchange, shunning traditional bookmakers with its revolutionary invention, which offered customers a way to set their own odds for the very first time. Betfair's ground-breaking heritage remains and they have continued to up the ante with first-to-market product innovations including ‘In-Play’, ‘Cash Out’, ‘Price Rush’, ‘Acca Edge’ and ‘90-Minute Payout’.

The TVC is complemented by OOH, radio, social media and digital activity that has been created in collaboration with Flutter Creative, plus a stream of content and advice from Betfair’s experts and pundits throughout the Euros tournament - all under the umbrella ‘Play Different, it’s what we do’.

The spot was directed by ManVsMachine through Friend London, with post-production and sound from Rascal.

Tim Snape, ECD at Pablo said: “When creating a new brand platform for Betfair, we knew it needed to be something extra special. Something that championed their trailblazing heritage and celebrated how they ripped up the rule book back in 2000 as the original category disruptor. The ‘Play Different’ platform perfectly embodies this challenger spirit and our launch campaign for the Euros is no different. For the centrepiece TVC, we brought together our own super squad of game changers to help us assemble 7 challenging trick shots together to pull off one mega trick shot.

"The challenge here was to join 7 individual trick shots into one never attempted before super trick shot. It's fair to say, to create this new campaign we’ve embodied and lived up to Betfair’s ‘Play Different’ spirit; starting with the concept, and all the way through the production, we’ve challenged ourselves and our partners to create something distinctly different.”

Betfair now has the richest and most varied betting experience on the market, across a Sportsbook and an Exchange and today, when bettors are looking for a way to get the edge and have more control, Betfair enables bettors to make the game their own, constantly improving the experience by empowering their players with more choice, more options and more ways to safely play - so they can play the game, the way they want.

Play Different debuts with a through-the-line campaign that launches at the pinnacle of this year’s sporting calendar, the UEFA Euros tournament. The campaign comes to life via a one-of-a-kind commercial that is designed to break away from the traditional betting ad conventions, harnessing the roguish charm and contagious creativity of viral trick shot sensations.

Set against the backdrop of a vibrant yellow sports arena, the commercial features a dynamic troupe of skillsters finding new ways to play and delivering jaw-dropping feats - from backflip bicycle kicks to somersault slam dunks, they effortlessly pass the ball in a mesmerising sequence. Filmed by over 28 live cameras, the captivating spectacle showcases real sport trick shots untouched by visual effects, leaving audiences questioning: 'Did they really just pull that off?” The voiceover declares 'There’s more than one way to play. Betfair, Play Different,' to the backdrop of an original composition by Duncan Hamilton.

Richard Hayward, MD, Betfair said: “We’re incredibly proud of our latest campaign with Pablo. We embarked on this project, looking to create a positioning that truly resonated with our customers. Our customers love to play different and use Betfair to do so, it was a natural fit. The Euros is a busy period for customers, so we wanted to lead with a stand-out campaign that feels different from the category. We’re excited to see the new platform launch and the future ahead, this is just the beginning”

The launch will be followed by subsequent campaigns and activations including a Safer Gambling and Racing campaign.