When your advertising features lots of naked people, condom-wrapped tennis racquets, and the liberal use of the word "rooting", you're probably hoping to generate a little bit of controversy.
In news sure to delight iconic Australian tennis shoe Volley's advertising managers, their bait was swallowed hook, line and sinker on Tuesday afternoon, by none other than the Australian Christian Lobby.
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Does this Dunlop Volley's ad go too far?
The iconic Australian tennis shoe has pushed boundaries with a new marketing campaign that features lots of naked people, condom-wrapped tennis racquets, and has already annoyed the Christian community.
Perhaps spurred on by the beginning of the Australian Open – despite Volleys not being a sponsor, nor worn by any seeded player – the ACL's Wendy Francis, a campaigner against sexuality in advertising, tweeted her outrage about the latest campaign on Tuesday night.
Volley sandshoes ads are defended as fine for our kids. I'm ridiculed for concern. I'll cop the ridicule & keep fighting for kid's innocence pic.twitter.com/7EfPY0ZuLR
— Wendy Francis (@wendyjoyfrancis) January 17, 2017
Parents be aware Dunlop Volley still sell sandshoes for school kids, but their website has R rated images as they're now "all about rooting"
— Wendy Francis (@wendyjoyfrancis) January 17, 2017
In a perfect example of the way Twitter works, Ms Francis's tweet generated its own controversy.
@wendyjoyfrancis We must keep sex a dirty secret and avoid promoting safe sex, even it means a continued increase in HIV and other STIs ?
— Pat (@RoscoFM) January 17, 2017
@wendyjoyfrancis MY KIDS SAW YOUR UNCENSORED TWEET NOW I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THE HUMAN BODY IS NATURAL AND NOT SHAMEFUL?!
— Whiskey Houston (@RobCoco) January 17, 2017
@wendyjoyfrancis How about you fight for "kid's innocence" by targeting sexual abuse in your churches then? Not enough "holier than thou" in that, maybe?
— GumbyWench (@gumbywench) January 17, 2017
The iconic Volley (nee Dunlop) tennis shoe – the shoe of 1976 Australian Open winner Mark Edmondson – is now sold using sex.
That means a series of photos by Marisa Taschke​ featuring young, tanned people in Volleys and not much else.
The company has also teamed up with condom manufacturer Ansell to promote safe "rooting".
We're making a racquet this year with our new #grassroots campaign 🔥🔥🔥 check it out at https://t.co/m84fm1cwcm pic.twitter.com/w83uGebWAL
— VolleyAustralia (@VolleyAustralia) August 22, 2016
The adverts, apparently, are about the erosion of freedom.
"The Grassroots campaign uses our voice to speak to the frustration of many young Australians who feel like, for the first time in a generation, their freedom is being eroded, instead of being advanced," global brand manager, John Szwede, told Mumbrella.
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