Online poker is, in the harsh light of day, a solitary and unglamorous pursuit. Often dominated by mathematically-minded savants who possess a natural advantage over us mere mortals, the game is a growing and profitable industry around which a huge range of online casinos has sprung. Of course, this is merely one facet of a much greater story; the engaging human drama of two competitors facing off, challenging each other for dominance across a desperate battlefield of chips and cards. We all have our preconceptions of what a stylish poker game looks like (essentially James Bond in Casino Royale), a trope Full Tilt is cleverly challenging in this advert. “This isn’t a poker story you’ll find in any movie” we’re told.
The engaging insight here is that rather than sell the game as inherently stylish or sophisticated (which we all know in our hearts is somewhat of a fabrication) – Full Tilt is abandoning the pretence and focussing on a real truth. Two players. Two adverts. Two emotional stories. They haven’t overdone it with the casino imagery either, promising a fantasy where we sit down with an iPad, only to suddenly be transported to the most magnificent casino imaginable. It’s toned-down, subtle; it respects the intelligence of their audience. I’ve always found Poker ads to be tacky. This is proof, if ever we needed it, that less is more.
Full Tilt Managing Director, Dominic Mansour: “These cutting edge adverts showcase exactly what playing our games is all about – the psychological warfare, the bluffing, the fun and the drama that happens all day long at Full Tilt. A huge amount of time and effort has gone into the new brand and we’re thrilled to share the first of our stories with the UK.”
See the companion ad here Full Tilt - The Call
Client: Paul Dervan, Bryan Connolly, Oli Bartlett
Agency: Simply Zesty
Head of Creative: Marty Busch
Art: Aaron Goodliffe and Peggy O’Neill
Copy: Eoin O'Brien
Head of Client Services: Conor Byrne
Account Exec: Grainne Kehoe
Production: Antidote Films
Director: Jonathon Irwin
Producer: Tess Bunworth
Agency Producer: Conor McGuinness
Post: MPC
Sound: Scramble
Score: Ross McCormack
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Those mathematically-minded savants could be programs running along, which is why I think all of these poker ads constantly weight on the "human bluff" moments. This strategy seems off to me, as this is exactly the only thing online poker can not offer.
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