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RICHARD BRANSON IS the quintessential self-made, off-the-wall entrepreneur.

He’s never stopped doing things differently over his 40-plus-year career, from dropping out of school to run a magazine to buying his own island — not to mention starting a commercial airline from scratch and kite-surfing across the English Channel in his 60s.

Today he’s worth an estimated €4.5 billion and is the chairman of the eclectic Virgin Group of businesses.

In his book “The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership,” Branson writes that his love of a crazy marketing stunt or world record attempt is just an extension of the way he runs his businesses.

“The problem is that being told ‘You’d have to be pretty crazy to even think about doing that’ has to me always been like the proverbial red flag to a bull,” he writes.

Branson’s unparalleled marketing savvy was on display once again this week as he rode a massive truck into Dublin’s RDS at a Virgin media event on Thursday.

Conor McCabe Conor McCabe

Daragh Brophy / Twitter Daragh Brophy / Twitter / Twitter

We’ve collected together some of his more outlandish publicity stunts, below… 

Because he lost a bet with Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes over which of their Formula One teams would beat the other, Branson agreed to dress in drag. Vincent Thian Vincent Thian

Branson is never one to turn down an opportunity for posing with a model. This was to launch the Virgin.net Broadband service in 2002. EMPICS Sports Photo Agency EMPICS Sports Photo Agency

Another attention grabbing idea... Branson launched his new mobile phone service in London with a controversial PR stunt using naked models hidden behind sofa cushions. EMPICS Sports Photo Agency EMPICS Sports Photo Agency

Here he is re-launching Virgin Atlantic's service on the Mumbai-London route, in Mumbai. Rajanish Kakade Rajanish Kakade

That's him again, pictured with the Masai Mara as they make him a Triblal Elder for bringing prosperity to the land. He was in Kenya to promote Virgin Atlantic's daily service to Nairobi. PA WIRE PA WIRE

Making a successful attempt on the record for crossing the English Channel in an amphibious vehicle. In 2004. EMPICS Sports Photo Agency EMPICS Sports Photo Agency

Jumping into a swimming pool after pretending to capture supermodel/actress Karolina Kurkova. God knows why. This was in Miami Beach in 2011. Associated Press Associated Press

And just wearing the pants. PA ARCHIVE IMAGES PA ARCHIVE IMAGES

Read: Richard Branson rode in on a massive truck and picked up one of our women

Read: Why Richard Branson isn’t a good role model for would-be startup founders

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