Ad watchdog clears Sportsbet’s Ben Johnson Puntmas ad of ‘blasphemy’
The Ad Standards Board has cleared Sportbet’s ‘Puntmas’ ad, despite complaints accusing the commercial of being “blasphemous” and offensive in using a Christian celebration to promote gambling.
The ad, created by BMF, shows a group of men at the race track looking at Sportbet’s new app ‘The Fold’, with Johnson – who was used in the brand’s controversial “putting the ‘roid in Android” campaign – featured at the commercial’s end.
If I were Christ, I’d give the whole lot of these gambling ads the punt. Trying to sit through the news with feral Cheryl telling you she wants to be a betting man, some snapperhead singing from one car to another and the Ned’s fool lying to all and sundry to make a wager certainly gives a good impression to kids who have to watch it.
The downward spiral
I don’t care about the Christmas angle, goodness knows that Christmas has been commercialised, and taken so far away from its Christian roots, that today nothing counts one way or the other.
What does bother me, is the copy. “return your bet BACK”
One could hardly return it forward. This statement belongs with “revert back” “advance forward” “we are the professionals” (who in business would want to claim to be amateurs) and “25% off of every sale.”
Oh, and my favourite gripe: “The Umbrella” and “A accident”