Mike Tyson to front Ultra Tune’s next ad campaign
Mike Tyson is set to replace Jean Claude Van Damme as the face of one of Australia’s most controversial advertisers, Ultra Tune.
Since shifting its strategy, the brand has been criticised for sexism and degrading women in its adverts and often features in the Ads Standards Board’s list of most-complained about ads.
Mumbrella had previously speculated Van Damme’s replacement could be WWE star John Cena. At the time, Ultra Tune’s national marketing manager Rod Cedaro told Mumbrella’s Automotive Marketing Summit: “John Cena hasn’t been signed yet but there has been discussions”.
Tyson, however, will front the ads – likely to debut on screens around the Australian Open tennis tournament – with CEO of Ultra Tune Sean Buckley taking to social media with snaps of Tyson and the brand’s ‘rubber girls’.
Buckley told The Daily Telegraph’s Sydney Confidential he welcomed the controversy the announcement and the ads were likely to stir, echoing the sentiment of his statements when the Van Damme ads were released.
“The more complaints we seem to get about these ads, the more our sales go up,” Buckley told Sydney Confidential.
“Australia used to be the land of fun and comedy but everything has become politically correct to another level, so much so people are scared to do something different or funny.”
There is no word yet on the story-line of the ad, but Buckley has previously insisted his controversial advertising strategy works.
On the release of the Van Damme ads, he told Mumbrella: “If they [the ads] didn’t work, I’d have them off the air before you could sit down… I think I know what I’m doing. The ads work brilliantly.”
He has previously stated the main source of complaints against Ultra Tune’s ads come from “social keyboard warriors” and middle-aged feminists “who are after equality” who missed the light-hearted intent of the ads.
“Women can jump up and down all they want but they’re not our target audience”, Buckley said.
In 1992 Tyson was convicted of rape and consequently served time in jail, but Buckley told Sydney Confidential the former boxer had turned his life around.
“He is an icon, people over 40 all know him. He has a high profile and he has redeemed himself from when he was younger. He is a success story in how he turned his life around,” Sydney Confidential reports.
Putrid.
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“Australia used to be the land of fun and comedy but everything has become politically correct to another level, so much so people are scared to do something different or funny.”
Well I guess nothing says ‘funny’ like using a convicted rapist and domestic abuse perpetrator to flog tires.
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Revolting. I don’t believe for one minute that this campaign works when all it does is pander to his ego.
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Mmm, interesting. Clearly something must be working or these guys wouldn’t be doing it.
Either way it doesn’t feel sustainable longer term.
Haven’t thought much about Tyson in years, is he a new man, or same guy who went to jail?
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Excellent.
I hope the Menedez Bros, when they’re out of jail, are next for some meaningful family safety tire demos.
When Ivan Milat’s out he can do some 4-wd drive tyre stuff.
And OJ Simpson for tyres that help you get away….
This campaign has legs….
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Besides all the valid reasons listed by others why this is an obviously inappropriate and objectionable endorsement – what strikes me is sadness that a once great champion has fallen on such hard times to agree to be involved in a low rent campaign for a D list company in a far away land.
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Really, is anybody surprised they would use a convicted RAPIST?? What a bunch of Losers! BTW the word rubber in the USA is mostly used when condoms are being discussed! (Yes I lived in the USA! I know what I am talking about!!!) So go for it Condom girls. Bahahaha
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