Success through sport

Punters are encouraged to 'cut out the middleman' by betting directly with other people on Betfair. In doing so they get better odds and therefore enjoy bigger wins. As well as targeting new acquisitions, the campaign also seeks to reaffirm existing customers' choice of Betfair, The World's Biggest Betting Community, which is now more than three million strong.

The TV campaign dramatises how a middleman - or traditional bookmaker - adds no value to the customer's betting experience and actually, gets in the way. It launches on Saturday 21 August. Betfair's media buying strategy crosses a range of sports including Premier League football on Sky Sports and ESPN, Champions League football on ITV and Channel 4 Racing, as well as other big events such as the Ryder Cup.

One of the most exciting aspects of the campaign is that Betfair are going to be delivering the middleman concept as a YouTube homepage takeover - the first time a betting brand has ever advertised on YouTube, signalling the real arrival of betting into mainstream online media.

The campaign represents Betfair's biggest-ever marketing drive, and will be rolled out across the UK and Europe. The activity will be supported by a global online effort that integrates all channels with particularly high visibility online and within social media. In addition PR, CRM, natural and paid search, and Betfair's on-site activity will also reflect this messaging, as will the activation of the company's sponsorship assets including Manchester United FC, FC Barcelona and Ascot racecourse.

Betfair's Head of UK Marketing Matt Booth said: "We aim to appeal to the hearts and minds of potential customers by presenting Betfair as a genuinely better way to bet, based on our unique and compelling value proposition. Only by being part of the World's Biggest Betting Community can punters get better value, better odds and bigger wins. On Betfair customers cut out the middleman - the traditional bookmaker who adds no value to your betting experience.

"We're very excited by this activity. Albion responded brilliantly to our brief and helped us develop an innovative and creative campaign that can truly be delivered across all marketing channels."

Albion London CEO Jason Goodman added: "The betting industry is extremely competitive but Betfair's peer-to-peer exchange model makes the brand unique. It's this factor that Albion wanted to bring to life. In encouraging punters to 'cut out the middleman', this campaign uses the vernacular of modern, disintermediating businesses who have thrived in the digital age by allowing their customers to go 'direct'.

"Throughout the development process, we were encouraged by Betfair to keep pushing the boundaries. 'Middleman' is a compelling and competitive creative proposition which once again shows that Betfair is a real force to be reckoned with."