Ladbrokes Coral, one of the loudest names in gambling and sports betting in the UK, started a marketing commercial with the A-List Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg. Dating back to 1886, Ladbrokes brags its place as one of the leading enterprises in the world of betting and gaming. Ladbrokes takes a chunk of market control in retail bookmaking in the UK, Ireland, and Belgium, where it runs betting shops. It also has a chain of betting facilities at the FA Premiership arenas and many racecourses.
Ladbrokes aims to use the nationwide campaign to spark more interest in horse racing by ensuring that the lucrative sport gets more entertaining. For Ladbrokes, the game needs to play at a higher tempo, and recruiting Mark Wahlberg is the way to achieve this responsibly.
The ad’s target is to reach over eight million Australian punters with its primary message, ‘Stay in Control.’ Ladbrokes wishes for its new market to understand that gambling is for entertainment, and if the entertainment begins to drop, it is time to walk away. In other words, punters should resist the urge to chase losses. Where is the fun in that?
However, Ladbrokes is reputed to price up games in advance, making it one of Australia’s most preferred betting companies. Ladbrokes is favored by the likes of FlashCasino.org who has related in clear terms a bit of the company’s history, product varieties, and the ease of use of Ladbrokes site.
According to a report, the London-based gambling company is fast registering its name in Australia as it makes its way into the list of top ten gambling companies in the country. Keying into its parent company’s potent strategy, Entain, Ladbrokes hired Mark Wahlberg to play Mike Iceberg in the marketing ad. Mike Iceberg is the new Chief Entertainment Officer (CEO) at Ladbrokes.
Commenting on the campaign, Mark Wahlberg said, “Aussies have a great sense of humor, and it was entertaining to bring ‘Mike Iceberg’ to life. Ladbrokes has been great to work with, and I like that the campaign encourages people to gamble responsibly.”
The Actor and His Lines
For a gambling company, noise is essential, and who better to create this energy than a face renowned in Hollywood? Mark Wahlberg flew from the United States to Australia to film this commercial, and all he needed to scream was, “Ladbroke It!”
The opening shot of the ‘Ladbroke It’ video commercial caught the 49-year-old Mark Wahlberg perching on a golf cart. He was in a white suit and dominated the screen with an intense look that his sunglasses intended to amplify. The camera rolled his image slowly toward the screen as his expression kept tightening until a ball of flame blows up in the background, drawing some mischievous laughter from the actor. These actions were themed conveniently on “The Gambler” soundtrack.
The filming of the ‘Ladbroke It’ campaign took place in December 2020 after the US actor was confined to a two-week-long mandatory quarantine at Byron Bay in compliance with the Covid-19 rules. The shooting of the commercial spanned five days. This exercise took place at the ICC, Sydney, and Ladbrokes, ensuring state and federal health authorities’ involvement in the entire process.
A History of Hiring Hollywood Actors for Adverts and Marketing Campaigns
The parent company to Ladbrokes, Entain, has used several Hollywood stars for marketing campaigns and promotions. Entain hired for BetMGM. BetMGM was Entain’s collaboration with MGM Resorts in the United States. In 2019, the sister company to Ladbrokes, Coral, hired Danny Mcbride for a six-part series branded TV campaign.
The engagement of Mark Wahlberg by Ladbrokes Coral in the recent commercial is in continuation of a pattern that is beginning to seem like culture.
Commenting on hiring Wahlberg and shooting the commercial at a time of the global pandemic, James Burnett, the Group Chief Marketing Officer of Ladbrokes, Australia, remarked that the reward surpassed the challenges it posed. Burnett went ahead to say that Mark Wahlberg “is a renowned and talented actor, and we knew he was the perfect person to front this campaign and bring the charismatic ‘Mike Iceberg’ to life,” as reported by Entain Australia.
The promotion for the ‘Ladbroke It’ commercial in Australia will be nationwide and will run across different broadcast platforms including, social, digital, and print media, all year round.
Ladbrokes gets Warned by the Advertising and Standards Authority
In early February, Ladbrokes received a warning from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over a TV advert for the company seen on Channel AII4. The ASA maintained that certain advertising content portrayed gambling behavior that the ASA considers socially irresponsible. Ladbrokes argued against this claim but couldn’t get off without warning against similar depictions in future commercials.
It is no surprise why this subsequent advert featuring Mark Wahlberg has its central message revolving around responsible gambling even amid the excitement. This is particularly necessary for Ladbrokes, who is gradually laying claim to popularity among Australian punters.
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