Saatchi’s Telecom ‘No sex’ Rugby World Cup campaign pulled after strong public backlash
August 19 2011, 9:39 am | | 11 Comments
The NZ Herald reports the now defunct “Abstain for the Game” campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland, probably cost Telecom hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop, say industry insiders.
The campaign, fronted by former All Black Sean Fitzpatrick, was to run during the Rugby World Cup urging All Blacks supporters to abstain from sex.
According to the Herald, at least two television advertisements were produced, posters were to be put in bus shelters and black rubber “pledge bands” were to be distributed among the willing. Telecom cancelled the promotion yesterday after a strong reaction from the public.
11 Comments
I like it. The ad seems pretty inoffensive to me. Over sensitive Kiwis. Feel sorry for the creatives.
haha pulled.
Seems like a Gruen Transfer pitch that wouldn’t win.
What was the point of not rooting again? I don’t see the connection.
Shame, looks quite funny. Brave move
An Australian facebook page called ‘I’m rooting for the Wallabies’ has been set up in response.
Grubermeister raises an interesting point; the concept, I think, is taking the mickey out of the age-old theory that athletes perform better when they refrain from having intercourse. A quite ancient and much debated theory.
The problem is that this reference, or the idea, seems too buried. If the script eluded to what some scientists believe re intercourse and performance then it would be clearer. But it doesn’t. It feels like it needs tightening up with a ‘perform better as a fan, refrain from nookie’ style reference near the start.
Overall, the problem is that a Telco and Fitzpatrick talking about panties just don’t go together. The script doesn’t suit him and he doesn’t suit the script.
To nail this idea, it would have to be done for a beer and have someone like Marc Ellis fronting it with a much funnier script. Let’s be frank, the script was poor.
Should have been this car:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFQu2HgDTwQ
They wouldn’t have to wait long.
The All Blacks usually fuck themselves in the quarter finals.
by abstain from sex does he mean have orgies with pregnant women ?
Saatchi’s should be sacked for coming up with such tripe in the first place – lost the plot boys!
Sorry but it’s a copycat execution – you know I’m right