It’s ‘booking geniuses’, Not ‘f-ing geniuses

Travel company On The Beach is launching in Ireland with a huge nationwide campaign starring TV personality Paddy McGuinness by Quiet Storm, bringing its cheeky humour to a new audience.

In the eye-catching new campaign, the comedian and former Take Me Out host, who shot to fame in Peter Kay’s hit comedy Phoenix Nights, is seen against a bright yellow background, dragging a wheeled suitcase behind him.

In big white capital letters behind him, the message reads: “What’s big, bright yellow and makes your holiday …king amazing?”, with McGuinness’s smiling face obscuring the second to last word, with strapline at the bottom stating: “With deposits as low as €10 - On The Beach.”

McGuinness landed himself in hot water at the start of the year for his TV advert for On The Beach after viewers accused him of saying “f***ing geniuses”.

Posting on Instagram at the time, McGuinness explained: "Now, a lot of people have been getting in touch with me on social media, saying, ‘We’ve seen your adverts with On the Beach. Are you swearing?’

"Just to clear this up, it’s ‘booking geniuses’. Booking. Not ‘f-ing geniuses’. As in, ‘Booking geniuses. Book with On the Beach, and you get free lounge access and all the perks’. That’s the whole idea! Not ‘f-ing’ geniuses — you can’t say ‘f-ing geniuses’ on the telly. Now book off and enjoy your Sunday.”

On The Beach will be launching in Ireland with the McGuinness campaign in Dublin across billboards - the first time the brand has done an outdoor billboard campaign - on the sides of buses, in digital displays and more, as well as with TV, social media and radio ads across the whole country. The campaign is the brainchild of London-based advertising agency Quiet Storm, and has been creative partners with the brand since 2021.

Bolton lad McGuinness, 51, who last month raised more than £10.5million in his 300-mile Children In Need Ultra Endurance Cycle Ride, will also be returning to On The Beach ads across Britain at the same time as the Irish campaign launches. Playfully celebrating the ‘booking geniuses’, the long-running campaign featuring McGuinness will be set to classic festive tune It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

On The Beach, which has been making waves for British holidaymakers since its launch in 2004, is launching in Ireland with their great value holiday proposition after a record-breaking year in the UK.

Caspar Nelson Marketing Director at On the Beach said: “After a stand-out year for our business with bookings at record levels, we are thrilled to be launching in Ireland with our new campaign fronted by Paddy McGuinness – everyone’s favourite man-of-the-people who, when it comes to a jolly and getting more beach for his buck knows a thing or two, just like our customers.”

Seb Jamous, Creative Director at Quiet Storm said: “We’ve always loved that On The Beach are hungry to make a splash with disruptive creative that punches above its weight. It’s worked brilliantly for them to date and we’re ***king excited to see the campaign posted in large format OOH throughout Dublin. We can’t wait to see how the Irish public react to a sprinkling of Paddy magic.”