Paddy Powers Pr Stunts Symbolise The End Of Moyes Time At Manchester United

David Moyes returned to his old stomping ground this weekend for what was to be his last game in charge at Old Trafford; being greeted by a near 40,000 boos from Everton fans and even more shockingly the arrival of Paddy Power’s latest PR stunt.

A nefarious character, which was initially thought to be an Everton fan, dressed up as the Grim Reaper and sat just a few seats behind David Moyes’ dugout with a scythe in his hand, taunting the Manchester United Manager in a Paddy Power branded top. The stunt was short lived after the Grim Reaper was soon escorted out of the stadium by the ground’s Steward’s midway through the first half.

The bookmaker’s stunt proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Manchester United Manager David Moyes as he faced the axe earlier this week after just 10 months in charge.

It was yet another mockery by Paddy Power who has enjoyed taking full advantage of the Scots miserable tenure at the club this season with a number of PR stunts that seamlessly entertained football fans across the world via social media.

First came the wax work of predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson in an emergency case with the sign “In case of emergency break glass” standing outside Old Trafford and then the ‘David Moyes Record Breaker’ picture consisting of all the poor records compiled over the course of his swift Manchester United career.

Paddy Power has been regarded as controversial in recent months, most notably their stunt surrounding Oscar Pistorious’ trial that accumulated a record breaking number of complaints by the ASA; but for all their provocative content the majority of their tweets are entertaining and humorous. This has helped them become a real powerhouse in the world of social media and has gained them greater brand exposure.

After all, football fans love the banter between clubs and it’s fair to say that Paddy Power are  up there with the best of them when it comes to dishing it out.

What do you think? Have Paddy Power once again gone too far with this stunt? Let us know by tweeting us @apt_marketing or in the comment section below.