‘Ladbroke It’ campaign launches via Thinkerbell featuring Mark Wahlberg as ‘Mike Iceberg’
Ladbrokes has launched its latest brand campaign in Australia, ‘Ladbroke It’, featuring Hollywood A-Lister Mark Wahlberg via creative agency Thinkerbell and production company Finch
The new national campaign is aimed at making horse racing even more exciting, and sees Wahlberg star as ‘Mike Iceberg’, Ladbrokes new (CEO) Chief Entertainment Officer. Iceberg has coined the term ‘Ladbroke It’, which is all about turning up the dial on excitement and entertainment.
The ‘Ladbroke It’ campaign will run nationally in Australia throughout the year across broadcast, print, digital, social and out of home platforms.
Says Jim Ingram, National Chief Creative Tinker at Thinkerbell: “Part of our creative challenge was literally this: Use Mark Wahlberg to help us make racing even more exciting. Cue big shiny red Harley Davidson Horse and a dancing ATM.
“Our creative strategy in this was to use Mark as an actor playing an actual role, Mike Iceberg, rather than a celebrity endorsement. Christopher Riggert brought all his crazy and the whole Finch team did a brilliant job bringing Iceberg to life.”
The work also includes a significant, dedicated Responsible Gambling commercial, set to the iconic soundtrack of “The Gambler”. Ladbrokes, which is part of the Entain, one of the world’s largest sports-betting and gaming groups, is committed to reaching mainstream Australians with its dedicated ‘Stay in Control’ messaging which helps Aussie punters understand that if it’s no longer entertaining, it’s time to walk away. ‘The Gambler’ will feature on TV and digital channels.
Says James Burnett, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Ladbrokes: “‘Ladbrokes is committed to encouraging Australian punters to gamble safely and stay in control of how they bet and play. ‘Ladbroke It’ is about making having a bet even more fun and unmissable for punters, whilst simultaneously being enjoyed sensibly.”
“The ‘Ladbroke it’ platform is our way of injecting some more fun and entertainment into the world of racing and using Mark to play the role of Mike Iceberg to deliver our message is just the beginning. We’ll be committing to ‘Ladbroking it’ across our platform, products and communications over the next 18 months and will be asking ourselves a lot “What would Mike Iceberg do?”
Client: Ladbrokes
James Burnett Group Chief Marketing Officer
David Rebetzke General Manager Marketing
Louise Gallagher Communications and Production Manager
Sarah Green Campaign Manager
Brand strategy: Element insight and strategy
Ewen Pettit – Founder and Head of Strategy
Creative Agency: Thinkerbell
Sesh Moodley – Head Tinker
Lauren Shelley – Head Thinker
Chris McMullen – Lead Tinker
Gerry Cyron – Brand Thinker
Katie Dally – General Manager
Jim Ingram – Chief Creative Tinker
Jacq Henderson – Thinker
Paul Leaning – Lead Production Tinker
Grant Anderson – Head of Production
Natalie Duncan – Head Thinker Earned
Taylor York – Lead Thinker Earned
Director: Christopher Riggert
Production Company: FINCH
Producer: Catherine Anderson
Executive Producer: Corey Esse
Edit: Stewart Reeves, The Editors
Post Production: Blackbird VFX / Atticus / Cutting Edge
Sound design: Ballad
Sound Mix: Squeak E. Clean / Cutting Edge
Photographer: Toby Burrows
Stills Production: The Kitchen Creative
Retouching: Limehouse
Media Agency: IKON
Talent management:
XXYV
FOURWARD
WME
79 Comments
Just when you thought there couldn’t be anything worse than COVID.
I was willing to give this the benefit of the doubt when the teaser was released.
…but, this is genuinely awful.
Mike Iceberg? Why?
And all the other stuff… why?
Please tell me why.
In the words of legendary DDB creative John Webster, “Why not?”
@Davo
He was famous for his work at BMP. AND BMP were famous for introducing Planning – you know, STRATEGY, which this loud mess sadly lacks.
Wow, all you ad types take yourselves very seriously. As a non industry person (i.e. target market), I reckon the ads are great.
This is the worst thing Marky Mark has done since:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2020/06/mark-wahlberg-s-history-of-racist-hate-crimes-resurfaces-after-george-floyd-post.html
LADBROKE IT!
Like it or not, this campaign will definitely get noticed.
(Unlike nearly everything else on TV at the moment)
…a really, REALLY expensive way of getting noticed, yeah.
But in a category where other bookies have better odds and better experiences, how will this start to make punters choose ladbrokes?
Bad.
For my next campaign I’m just gonna get a celebrity to fellate a capsicum for 30 seconds. That’ll get noticed. JOB DONE.
This comment is funnier than the ad.
I like it, and for once I’m the demo. Advanced Hair Studios should take note.
It worked for a while for a couple of other agencies who did well off the formula, and they soon ran out of steam once they ran out of celebrity budgets.
Please don’t associate the late, great John Webster’s name with this.
This feels so tired and cliched.
It’s a very poor man’s tango.
It’s a waste of talent.
It has no brand properties like snoop has given menulog.
And it doesn’t bear repeat viewing.
Apart from that, it’s money in the bank.
Having worked in the office next door to John Webster at BMP for a number of years, he would never have said ‘why not’ to this.
This must have cost a fortune, and the absolute worst thing about it that it shows absolutely no insight or understanding into their audience.
Seriously, as a gambler and a strategist, watching this just made me really rather sad.
what a big budget thinkerbell ad looks like.
Look out Responsible Gambling compliance!
Track is called The Gambler, shows a dancing ATM machine, and shows the enhanced life that an individual can get by gambling.
spot literally begins on a shot of a woman’s ass.
thinkerbell choosing the cheap way to make the first six seconds unskippable.
If your first thought when seeing a woman walking is her ass then I think you’re the problem mate.
Do TB honestly think people will start saying ‘Ladbroke it’….???
“God damn you wasted a good opportunity with me.”
Who is singing with you ?
Desperate to earn a buck Mark? Horse racing is all about money, it is not a sport, gambling ads are not looking after people either.
I didn’t even smile when I watched this. All I though was WTF.
Someone sold in an idea that was so ridiculous and it turned out that way, only not even funny or amusing at all.
Worst use of a celebrity I have seen in a long time (which is a lazy format to begin with) “let’s use XYZ actor as the spokesperson for the company!!”… GTFO.
A lot of salty people here.
The ads fine.
No. The ad is 15 lengths short of fine. A lot of people who know a shit tonne more about advertising than you are right. You are stupid. Please don’t comment again.
Yep. They broke it alright.
Golden Rule of branding: change it up occasionally. I think they Ladbroked their own brand. Woolworth it.
Mark soooooo hot. I don’t care. Explode on me Marky.
Nice one.. Sick!
Does absolutely nothing for me.
5 thinkers = strategists from Thinkerbell plus another strategist from outside strategy consultancy? wot mate? strategy overkill is killing ideas and campaigns. if you have more than two on one brief then i guarantee it will be terrible work.
I’ve seen this ad 3 times on TV in the last 30 minutes during the 6pm news timeslotand it is almost unbearable to watch.
We’re so pleased with these ads. We are so happy with them. They couldn’t have created a better ad for us – CEO @ Sportsbet
Yeh dude. Im sure every creative wishes they had this in their books.
Could this be a touch tone deaf?
Mega celebrities, high production value – not quite sure what it all means… But it’s made me aware of the brand… time to re-market me with some more info guys
More of this type of work in Aus.
This makes my eyes hurt
Noooooo Please make it stop
It had a big budget. It had a big celeb. It had no idea or craft. The agency knows what they’re doing. No creative would have it in their book. But the agency made their money and the client will get a few more punters.
Are you ‘Ladbroke’ when you’ve lost all your money through gambling?
Probably read OK at some point in the process. Imagine a dozen other leads and a way different treatment: I’m thinking Robert Downey Jnr. Idea needs execution. Every time.
The gambler ad is spot on.
Nice to see a responsible message from a gambling company. Love the song.
just because you can doesn’t mean you should
Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
Badjoke it.
Pitched for the account once. With the identical line but better creative. Good luck Thinkerbell.
I get all the hate, this is the CB blog of course, but got to say don’t mind this one, and like the line.
Nice try shill
I don’t care what anyone says.. that was godawful
does everyone love to shit all over Thinkerbell so much?
Jealous and/or bitter?
Ohhh a little bit of a protective comment- there needs to be an invention to auto mute audio on all advertising – I actually like the add for the security guy and think he is incredible Tinkerbell using him! ( but ads on any FTA tv absolutely grind on my nerves!
That’s some expensive cheese
Thought this was a classic Uncle Friendly joint, surprised when i read Riggert in the credits.
At no point in your rambling, incoherent commercial was there anything that could even be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul
I think they were in the top creative agencies by every measure last year so chances are they ate doing better than you!!!
😍
Because they put out ads like this?
Dogs balls stand out – watch this work it’s nads off
The team at Thinkerbell are absolutely killing it on the new business front. It’s win after win after win. Irrespective of whether you like or loathe this ad, you have to respect what they are doing as a business on (mostly) massive brands. Hats off.
This isn’t the Forbes 500 champ. Jog on back to the golf clubhouse to talk about money-line-go-zig-zag.
How’s redundancy going?
(Sent from the 19th)
They are absolutely not killing it on the new business front! Coming second so many times
Champ, do you think Thinkerbell gives 4 fucks that you defend them?
We are discussing craft, you silly chimp.
Chump, do you think I give four fucks whether they read this or what some bum like you thinks. I chose to talk about their business success. You responded.
You know what else? I’m guessing this would be the very first time you and craft have ever been uttered in the same sentence.
Congrats team Thinkerbell x Finch. Nice one getting Wahlburger.
Kenny Powers did it better for K-Swiss.
it’s fucking nuts but I like it. gambler spot is great.
Kenny Powers K-swiss turned into Ladbrokes but not really.
This ad is garbage I literally stop watching TV as soon as it comes on because of how annoying it is if you wanna good campaign do something simple that prays on people’s impulses rather than frustrations
This is the most revolting ad ever. As soon as it comes I press the mute on my remote as do a lot of my fiends. What a bunch of sleazy characters. Mark comes over as a real creep. Cannot wait till it stops playing
A horror advertisement. I change channels whenever it appears (which seems to be a lot).
I request Mark Wahlberg and his pseudonym Mike Iceberg leave Australian tv for good. The thoughts of this advert denegrates any good karma I have for your great action movies :((((
This ad puts me off gambling. It may succeed in subliminally programming punters to hate ladbrokes. Sportsbet must be cackling
Worst ad on tv. Might have my attention. But would never use ladbrokes while they run this rubbish.
I don’t gamble but I did like Mark Wahlberg. Until now. Ladbroke must have paid him a retirement fund for him to link with this untalented piffle.
This is a total stinky mess. I am shocked to see Thinkbell came up with it as I thought they were on a bit of a hot streak.
“Ladbroke It” is such a lazy idea / line, and the ad execution itself is just unbearable, undecipherable noise.
My vote for worst ad of the year.
I actually went out of my way to find out who made this steaming pile of dog turd. I am so sick of my wife rolling her eyes and swearing while also scrambling to find the controller every time this idiot ad comes on while we are watching the cricket. Easily one of the worst ads of all time.