Paddy Power: The Power of Advertising

Irish bookmakers Paddy Power have cashed in on their pot of gold after Nicklas Bendtner scored in Denmark’s 3-2 defeat to Portugal last Wednesday, before celebrating by showing off boxer shorts sporting the Paddy Power logo.

The £80,000 fine handed to Bendtner is now to be paid off by the bookmaker, and although this alongside the original fee handed to Bendtner for wearing the shorts may seem a large and overly-pricey amount for the bookies, all was not lost. 

The image of Bendtner lifting his shirt to reveal the printed boxers was used by every national newspaper covering the story, whilst even a week on any coverage of the running saga still has the same photograph complimenting articles just like this. Type into Google 'Paddy Power' and the first result is 'Paddy Power underwear' - this speaks volumes about the effect this advertising project has had.

Advertising space in national newspaper has always been high, and the quest for free advertising is a long and hard venture. However, Paddy Power seems to have combated this with their latest stunt in what could yet be a talking point for weeks to come – especially now that fines for racism are being compared to that of Bendtner’s fine.

Be it a stroke of genius or a stroke of luck, Paddy Power is the bookie on everyone’s lips during Euro 2012.