Paddy Power marketeers capitalise on Russian doping scandal

The extensive media coverage on allegations that the Russian Olympic team used drug stimulants has provided the marketers at land and online gambling group Paddy Power with yet another opportunity to indulge in some of its trademark guerrilla marketing

This week the company set up a faux Olympic medals “put-in” (geddit?) kiosk outside the Russian embassy in London, manned by suitably attired local actors and inviting Russian athletes to return their medals with no questions asked.

A tongue-in-cheek Paddy Power statement supporting the stunt noted:

“Turns out those pesky Russians have been Putin dodgy stuff into their bodies – and the government were in on it. That was a very Vlad decision, but we are offering them a chance to put things right. I imagine we’ll see athletes Russian to our drop-off point this week.”

It should be noted that the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has yet to make a ruling on the Russian crisis, which has emerged following the publication of the McLaren Report, which alleges on extensive evidence that Russian officials were aware and complicit in programs designed to enhance the performance of Russian athletes through the illegal use of banned substances and then hide the evidence of such use by subverting testing procedures.

Related and similar