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UBank withdraws golden poodle poo ad as volcano ad is cleared of racism

uBank defecating dogNAB’s online brand UBank has pulled an ad campaign featuring a dog excreting gold bars, although it has declined to explain why.

The ad – one of two by creative agency The Monkeys featuring gold ‘metaphors’ – aired briefly last month.

According to ad monitoring service Ebiquity, the ad last ran on television on March 23. However, it was not covered in the trade press until April 16.

Within hours of that story appearing on Mumbrella, the ad was deleted from YouTube. It has not run on television since, with heavy rotation being given to another execution featuring a miniature golden volcano.

When Mumbrella asked UBank why the pooing poodle ad had been dropped so quickly from the “rewards are real” campaign, it issued a short statement saying: “The current execution includes a TVC featuring a volcano of gold, running nationally.”

It added in a later comment: “We feel the volcano is a better reflection of UBank’s brand and values although we have not received any formal complaints from the poodle ad.”

The ad was directed by The Sweet Shop’s Steve Ayson.

Meanwhile, the volcano ad has drawn complaints – dismissed by the Ad Standards Board – that it is racist, because the man injured by plunging his arm into the golden volcano is black.

One complainant said: “I found it distressing to watch a person plunge his hand into molten metal (gold) and scream in pain. This is a bad message to convey, it may have racial overtones, and portrays a person who is suffering in pain. It’s in very bad taste.”

Another said: “The man being burned is black and it seems to me that this is meant to appeal to the sense of humour of people who are racist.”

UBank said in response: “The act of placing one’s hand in liquid gold is not something that is commonly associated with a certain race.”

The ASB ruled that the ad was not discriminatory and added: “The Board noted that volcanos are not found in people’s back yards and are therefore not likely to present a real risk to the community.”

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