Ladbrokes hires creative agency Neverland after Euro 2020 success
London-based marketing firm wins operator’s ad account after using 190 drummers to depict penalty shootout tension
Ladbrokes has appointed London-based Neverland as its lead creative agency after hiring the company for its Euro 2020 advertising campaign.
As first reported by Campaign Live, Neverland succeeds Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), which has held responsibility for the combined Ladbrokes Coral account since 2019.
Neverland will work on the Ladbrokes account alongside retained media agency the7stars and comms agency ZPR, while Coral will continue to work with BBH.
Neverland’s Euro 2020 short for Ladbrokes used hundreds of drummers to depict the tension of a penalty shootout, made all the more relevant by England’s final defeat to Italy from the spot.
The idea reflected a strategic brand-led shift from the operator to focus more on the excitement and drama of sport, rather than how those feelings can be accentuated by gambling.
Dominic Grounsell, MD of UK sports brands at Ladbrokes Coral, said: “We loved the creative work, strategic vision and fresh thinking Neverland delivered for the European Championships.
“More importantly, we were excited and inspired by our shared ambition for Ladbrokes for the future,” he added.
Earlier this month, Ladbrokes found itself in hot water with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after one of its TV ads was banned for depicting socially irresponsible gambling behaviour.