The bookmaker Paddy Power has again courted controversy with a tweet before Monday night’s meeting between Newcastle and Liverpool at Anfield. The words “Newcastle have suffered more Kop beatings over the last 20 years than an unarmed African-American male” are accompanied by a picture of the Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, resulting in a furious backlash on Twitter from users.
Newcastle have suffered more Kop beatings over the last 20 years than an unarmed African-American male. The stats: http://t.co/GOOdyAszNo
— Paddy Power Offers (@PPOffers) April 13, 2015
While many have labelled the ads racist, others have just seen it as the latest wilfully offensive publicity campaign by the bookmaker.
Ah, I see Paddy Power are branching out into that "racist police brutality banter" market.
— Chris No (@nathizzle) April 13, 2015
I reckon Nick Griffin runs Paddy Power you know, that Cameroon advert doing the rounds on TV is subtly racist as well
— Danny Maiorca (@Maiorca_) April 13, 2015
Have Paddy Power just jumped the shark with that Tweet? Can't see how it's racist - it's not. Offensive to the masses and misguided though
— Mark Robinson (@MrMCRobinson) April 13, 2015
The tweet follows on from a succession of stories in the US regarding police shootings of African Americans. It is also the latest in a long line of Paddy Power campaigns that have provoked a backlash from the public. There was the offer of “money off if he walks” during the Oscar Pistorius trial, a 2010 commercial showing a blind footballer kicking a cat into a tree and a recent offer to Chelsea fans on the way to the Capital One Cup final to “prove you’re not prejudiced” by posing with a selection of disabled and black and minority ethnic actors.
Credit to Paddy Power. Seeing police brutality against African-Americans as a marketing opportunity takes some real vision.
— Andy Gilderdale (@AndyGilder) April 13, 2015
