International gaming company Tonybet Casino hired former Republic of Ireland striker and Talksport presenter Tony Cascarino to feature in its first TV commercial in Ireland. The ad opens with a close-up shot of Cas who gasps as it appears a sudden realisation has come over him. In a scene reminiscent of The Usual Suspects, he drops his cup which smashes to the ground. He then leaps to his feet and sprints out of the cafe and onto the streets.
He dramatically runs through the city losing his hat, before being stopped in his tracks by some selfie and autograph hunters who he eventually escapes. Bursting through the door of his home, out of breath and in a moment of relief, he realises that he had in fact left the immersion switch off. As the ad wraps, the VO tells us “Jackpot! Tony didn’t leave the immersion on. Now try your luck at Tonybet Casino”.
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The TV commercial is part of Tonybet’s broader ‘Jackpot!’ campaign which will be rolled out across out of home (OOH), print, digital and audio platforms. The campaign was created and written by Dublin agency Splanc PR. The TVC was the work of Latvian production house We Shoot Stories and directed by Roberts Kulenko. A spokesman for the advertiser said that the TV campaign will get underway at the end of April.
