Paul Mallon Steps Down as Head of Brand Marketing at Paddy Power

Paul Mallon has decided that it’s time to end his tenure at Paddy Power. The sports betting operator’s head of brand marketing is stepping down after a decade at the company; however, he’s not going very far. His new target is a familiar one that will likely bring back plenty of memories.

Paul Mallon Leaves Paddy Power

Mallon, who began his career as a sportswriter, has been the Head of Brand Marketing at Paddy Power for the past ten years, but his idea of marketing is in a class of its own. He was the “Head of Mischief” as part of the company’s “Mischief Making department, a role he enjoyed for three years, and was behind some of Paddy Power’s most viral marketing schemes. Mallon was instrumental in the creation of several media stunts for the company, including a high-profile branding exercise during the weigh-in of the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor in 2017. The Money Fight, as it was called, set a record for viewership and also collected over $85 million in wagers – most on McGregor. Mayweather won by TKO in the tenth, and the exposure was good for all sportsbooks around the world.

Mallon isn’t all about guerrilla marketing, though. He helped Paddy Power finalize a sponsorship of the Brighton Pride event in 2018, making the sportsbook among the first UK brands to promote the rights and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community. That participation ultimately led to Paddy Power receiving a Cannes Lions award last year. The awards, described as “the ultimate achievement in creativity,” are coveted by those in the marketing industry and Paddy Power won a bronze award for its “Come Out and Play” initiative.

New Role, Familiar Setting

Mallon is already jumping into his new suit, but it’s one that he’s familiar with and which fits him well. He is going to be Head of Special Ops at Lucky Generals, an advertising agency based out of London with additional operations in New York. More than just another marketing firm, the company is the former creative advertising agency that worked with Paddy Power until Flutter Entertainment stepped in. When Flutter and The Stars Group merged, Flutter brass decided to go in a new direction and Lucky Generals wasn’t included.

Mallon should feel right at home in his new environment. Lucky Generals has created some unique and interesting ads over the years. The marketing guru’s expertise – and his mischievous nature – will come in handy as the company enters a new era of ad design.