Paddy’s in a Powerful Pickle

Paddy Power have got themselves into a little hot water for a national press advertising campaign that featured betting odds for the ‘Next Airline to go Bust’. A complaint was made to the Advertising Standards Authority regarding an advertisement that provided the public with an opportunity to bet on the demise of airlines such as United Airlines with odds of 25/1, Virgin Atlantic 100/1 and FlyGlobeSpan at 3/1. The complainant felt that the airlines named were ‘denigrated’ because of the implication that they would soon go into administration.

A company statement from Paddy Power in response to the complaint was given to the Advertising Standards Authority, the details of which can be found below:

Paddy Power said they were the market leaders in providing odds for topical news stories; their portfolio of non-sports betting markets was exclusively driven by consumer demand, which was in turn driven by the news agenda. They said they offered odds on domestic and international politics, economics, music, film, TV and the weather, among hundreds of betting opportunities.

They said after two airlines entered protective administration they received numerous requests for odds on which airline would do so next; they considered this to be a legitimate betting market, which proved to be one of the most popular non-sports markets of September 2008. Given its popularity, they decided to promote it with a modest press campaign. Having set the initial prices, individual odds for each airline reflected the weight of the money that had been wagered on it; Paddy Power said they did not manipulate the odds, which were dictated entirely by the flow of money. They said the maximum stake was £200 (or €250) per customer, which meant customers could not manipulate the perception of a particular airlines financial position.

They said they had closed betting on which airline would be next to go into administration and had no plans to run the campaign in the future.

The Advertising Standards Authority investigated the complaint fully and although they accepted that Paddy Power had opened the market due to ‘popular demand’ that it was in fact still unfair to discredit the airlines concerned and so the complaint was upheld and Paddy Power were advised that the advertisement could not be published again in its current form.

There was only one complaint made regarding this matter and although there is an argument that says possibly this particular betting market was not in the best of tastes (certainly that is the case given the current economic climate), this is Paddy Power that is being referred to and tongue in cheek humour is part of their dynamics, and that is of course is what sets this sportsbook apart from some others. We are sure that no real intention to defame the airlines concerned was ever intended, after all this is the sportsbook that is currently accepting bets with odds of 500/1 on whether Russell Brand is God! Naughty Paddy Power don’t do it again – hey PP, what odds will you give us that Marks & Sparks will be going down the pan shortly? It was a joke – honest!