Paddy Power Court Controversy With Drive-Thru Confessional

Pope Francis will soon be visiting Ireland, touching down in Dublin on August 25th and, to prepare for the papal visit, Paddy Power has erected a giant drive-thru confession box to help the people of Ireland repent decades of sins in seconds ahead of the Pope’s arrival.  

The campaign, created in-house, has seen the Irish bookmaker build the 13 metre wide, 12m high and 26m deep structure, ensuring the sheer scale will be big enough to withstand the full spectrum of sin – providing an express lane to eternal salvation for Ireland’s lapsed Catholics.

In a specially commissioned survey it was revealed that more than a quarter of Irish people haven’t attended confession in a decade or more and almost 80% said they do not go to confession regularly (that is, at least once per month) and a further 29% disclosed that it was so long ago, they can’t remember when they last confessed.

When asked if they found it convenient to attend confession, the majority (61%) said no, and a further 15% said it could be improved. So, with the visit of Pope Francis now imminent, Paddy Power has created the perfect portal to help punters clear their conscience on the go, taking them from sinner to winner in a flash. 

The campaign is likely to cause controversy, something which Paddy Power is no stranger to. In the past it has been criticised for some of its campaigns, including the recent World Cup campaign which saw a Russian polar bear spray-painted in a 'leaked' video which was later claimed by Paddy Power as one of it's campaigns. 

So, @paddypower wrap of today’s @MetroUK - clever piece of comms or an unnecessary press stunt designed to aggravate the public for the sake of free media? Personally, I’m not sure. Obviously it is a photoshop but still, if real would be very cruel... pic.twitter.com/kvONipikG6

— Paul Whiting (@IamPaulWhiting) June 5, 2018

The huge confession booth is built in the shadow of the Phoenix Park, where crowds of up to 500,000 are expected this weekend for the first papal visit since John Paul II in 1979. The drive-thru confession box will allow motorists to get sin-free fast, and observe the Pope’s mass minus any Catholic guilt.

"Ireland has changed a lot since the last Pope's visit," a Paddy Power spokesperson said. "Gay marriage is legal, we’ve repealed the Eighth Amendment, and even secretly cheered for England in the World Cup. With decades worth of sins clocked up since then, we’re providing a convenient means to complete your contrition with your keys still in the ignition.

“And if the Catholic hierarchy have anything they’d like to get off their chests too, they are more than welcome to take a spin through our mega drive-thru confession box while they’re here.”