Coral recruits Hollywood star for World Cup campaign

Coral has unveiled its first World Cup TV advert after recruiting Hollywood actor and comedian Danny McBride to front the summer-long marketing campaign.

The one-minute short was directed by newly-appointed creative agency Alpha Century and depicts McBride as naïve American punter Sports Rodstein, described as the “world’s biggest sports fan”.

The ad appeared on UK television for the first time during Saturday night’s Champions League final and will run throughout the World Cup across TV, print, social media, digital and retail.

Coral is pushing the slogan “don’t be silly, bet savvy” throughout the campaign as Rodstein comically backs the goalkeeper in the advert to score first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=22&v=2Mhfq224t6g

Coral marketing director Alexis Zamboglou said: “We wanted the campaign to create distinction from that of other brands.

“In the same vain as Super Bowl ads, Coral is hoping to utilise the huge Champions League audience by creating an ad which speaks to the UK and taps into their emotion when they’re at their peak.

“Sports betting and gaming is fun and exciting and the aim was to capture this in the new ads.

“We think Sports Rodstein will resonate with sports fans and the character represents the hilarious comedy that Danny McBride is known for and delivers a memorable and impactful ad,” he added.

The advert was directed by US filmmaker David Gordon Green, whose credits include cult-comedy film Pineapple Express, which McBride starred in.