Coral launches first-of-its-kind Cheltenham activation in Piccadilly Circus

Coral has unveiled a major DeepScreen 3D advertising activation to coincide with the Cheltenham Festival. DeepScreen advertising uses forced perspective to warp imagery to make it appear 3D while on a 2D surface. Coral has become the first bookmaker in the UK to use such technology and has done so at Ocean Outdoor’s iconic Piccadilly Lights at London’s Piccadilly Circus. The ad shows four horses and jockeys racing at top speed before one moves to the front of the pack. As that horse does so, one-by-one those left trailing in its wake fade away leaving just one appearing to “jump out of the screen”. The video then concludes with the phrase “your horse is the only horse that matters”. The ad is slated to appear on rotation once an hour for the duration of the festival.

Chris Brocklehurst, Coral’s head of brand marketing says: “Never before has horseracing been given this sort of treatment, and this show-stopping spectacle truly brings racing fans closer to the action. “It’s based on the premise that when it comes to racing, the only horse that matters is the one you’ve backed. We’re proud to be the first betting brand to use this 3D poster technology and to showcase horseracing like never before.” The activation was devised by Coral’s lead creative agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), with the media campaign devised and implemented by the7stars. Guy Hobbs, associate creative director from BBH, says: “This piece is based on the simple insight that when you’re watching a horse race, the only horse you’re really seeing is the one you’re backing. Our idea was to remove everything else on the racetrack except one single horse. And to do it in the most epic way possible using the DeepScreen. We’re super excited to show racing in a new light.” As well as the feature ad at Piccadilly Circus, the activation campaign will also feature video displays at other Ocean Outdoor sites including Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Southampton.