Betting exchange Betfair is extending its TV advertising campaign into the real world by placing its giant octopus between the fourth green and fifth tee of The Open golf championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
‘Paul the Octopus’, which made its debut playing table tennis in Betfair’s current This Is Play TV advertising, has been designed in homage to Liverpool band the Beatles’ song Octopus’ Garden. It also corresponds to its eight each-way payout for bets on the Open Championship.
The three metre tall, eight legged cephalopod offers messages of support to players as they make their way down the fairway at the fourth, as well as helping course officials silence the excitable crowd at the 5th tee with its own “quiet please” sign.
Betfair spokesperson Harry Phillips commented: “To celebrate the start of The Open, Betfair is hosting a party ‘In an Octopus’s Garden’. It’s our nod to the song ‘Octopus’s Garden’ by Liverpool’s most famous sons, The Beatles.”