Paddy Power Games is partnering up with Channel 4 to sponsor First Dates. The partnership, negotiated by EssenceMediacom, sees Paddy Power Games launch a series of idents that will run during First Dates centered around love.

Created with the help of BBH, the idents celebrate love as the ultimate numbers game. As daters discuss the all important question of a second date, Paddy Power ambassador Peter Crouch watches on as waiter.

The humorous idents are set in Paddy Power’s own version of the First Dates restaurant, ‘Café du Chance’. Each spot is a nod to the awkward moments of dating from the question of who gets the bill, to off-putting table manners. 

The idents are filled with ridiculous but relatable dating drama. Scenarios include getting a date’s name wrong, awkward intros, misreading the vibe and family member faux pas. Daters are playing the game of love in the face of awkward moments, all in the quest to find a match. 

"Unfortunately, like many people, we’ve had our fair share of bad first dates. Fortunately, this made for some great source material when it came to creating Paddy Power’s ‘First Date’ idents,” says BBH Creatives Chloe Neal and Ciara Boyle said.

They continue: “Since Paddy Power gives you ‘another chance’ to win, we wanted to tap into all of those dating moments where you wish you could have another go. From super stingy dates, to premature ‘I love you’s’, to mummy’s boys… we reckon Cafe du Chance has a little something everyone can relate to."

Oozing with Paddy Power’s signature cheeky tone, the partnership hopes to be an opportunity to engage and entertain gamers. First Dates sits at the heart of the Channel 4 schedule and the idents will be shown during series-bursts throughout the year across Channel 4 and E4, plus repeats and regular streaming.

With 19 different sponsorship idents running across First Dates for the next 14 months the partnerships sets to deliver significant brand awareness to Paddy Power.