Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has pledged allegiance to its ‘Celtic cousins’ in its latest Wales-supporting campaign ahead of the World Cup clash between England and Wales tonight.
Enlisting the help of two Welsh footballing legends Cliff Jones and Terry Medwin, the ad sees 1,200 sheep group up to spell out the words ‘SHEEP > LIONS’.
The 1,248 square metre sign contains up to 160 sheep per letter and sets a Guinness World Record for the largest-ever sheep formation … “probably,” Paddy Power added.
“For those struggling to picture the scale of the message, the letters span 56 Gareth Bales wide and seven Aaron Ramseys high.”
“For those still struggling, that’s about the same size as the average World Cup football pitch wide and just shy of three double-decker buses high.”
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest marketing news sent straight to your inbox each morning
Former Wales and Tottenham Hotspur star, Cliff Jones, added: “There’s no greater feeling for the Welsh than beating the English, no matter what the sport. It’s so ingrained in our culture even the sheep know it! This giant message of support from our treasured sheep population will inspire the boys out in Qatar even more!”
Paddy Power, spokesman for the Irish betting firm of ‘the same name’ said: “As an Irish brand, we know all about being underdogs at the World Cup. Unlike us, our Celtic cousins have made it to this tournament, and now, on the other side of the world, they face England.
“This is their cup final. They haven’t waited 64 years and travelled all that way to be troubled by a neighbour from back home. We wanted to send a message of support from sheep pen to Rob Page, and warn Southgate: Wales are coming to get ewe – and they plan on showing what they’re made of: courage, fearlessness…and 76.3% wool.”
The news comes weeks after the gambling firm released its 2022 World Cup spot, celebrating the ‘unprecedented collision’ between a major international tournament and the festive period.
