Volley Australia has launched an ad campaign called #Grassroots that has drawn the ire of one of the heads of the Australian Christian Lobby.
Wendy Francis, ACL Queensland director, tweeted out a warning to parents over the campaign, noting that the brand also sells shoes for children.
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
“Rooting” is slang for sex.
Samuel Leighton-Dore, one of the campaign’s models, told Mashable via Messenger, “I’m not sure she’s offended by the images so much as what they seem to represent, which is freedom, sexuality, and … footwear.”
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“I think when recognisably Australian brands start to embrace diversity and sexuality in their branding, it’s a sign that organisations like ACL are fighting the tide,” he added.
The campaign’s website has text on the homepage reading:
We’re sick of being socially engineered and we shun political correctness.
We’re young and we’re rooting for change.
We are children of the sun and are comfortable in our own skin, so don’t tell us who to love or how to be.
Our campaign is all about the celebration of sexual expression whilst remembering to stay safe.
For this reason we’ve joined arms with Ansell condoms in support of safe sex, as whilst we’re all about rooting, we believe in ‘safety first’.
So stay safe this summer and root for us, root for change, root for VOLLEY.GET BEHIND US
#GRASSROOTS
Related: Another cute commercial, another Million Moms meltdown
Head here to watch the ad.
Jack Meoff
And right on queue the A.C.L. has taken the bait and reacted as expected subsequently boosting awareness of Volley’s advertising campaign giving them more free exposure. Volley execs will be sitting back saying thank you A.C.L. we knew we could count on you.
Jack Meoff
hope the ACL realise they have played into Volley’s hand and done exactly what they wanted giving them more exposure for their ad.
Xzamilloh
Christian fundamentalists are funny… like, just create your own little community and isolate yourselves from the rest of society. Be all Jesus-y in your own life and gladly leave your hogwash in the fiction section at the library of life where it belongs.
Captain Obvious
Tasteless advertising but the hand covered nudity aside it was nothing you couldn’t find in a JC Penny ad. Kids have sadly seen far worse.
Not really a big deal. People get worked up about nudity but expose their kids to violence at a very early age.
unreligious
Why is it you never hear of Jewish people protesting ads for pork, Muslims protesting ads for liquor (usually with scantily clad women)? But Christians are always offended by something. and complaining.
Billysees
” But Christians are always offended by something. and complaining. ”
That should more accurately read ‘But fundamentalist Christians…’ There’s a difference. They complain because it is a way to get some public exposure or advertising and a way to connect with their supporters, thus making their complaining look like a good deed.
Brian
Yet another attempt to use nudity to sell stuff. Yawn.
alanballs
In advertising, sex most always sells to a specific demographic (young; between 12-28) and most always brings yawns to the jaded elders. Fundie-Xtians can just get over themselves. These ads are great and I hope to see MORE.
dinard38
I’m all for diversity in advertising. I’ve seen some wonderful ads with same-sex couples. With that said, I totally don’t get this advertisement. What does two naked (?) men kissing have to do with selling shoes? It also seems to me that this ad wouldn’t be all that effective. Everyone is so busy talking about the kissing naked men and the focus is not on the shoes.
Also, it looks a little creepy. I thought this was two life-like mannequins. They don’t look real to me. :-p
girldownunder
I’m all for nudity, but not for the sake of selling something. Then, it becomes pandering & basically is prostituting the people in the ad.
Jack Meoff
@dinard38: Did you watch the ad or just look at the one still shot they used for this article?
tony-e
Would this group be protesting so loudly if this ad didn’t involve same-sex couples? I doubt it
Brian
That’s a good point.
Music908
I had a comment but it was removed. All I said was I think that kids would be less likely to be turned on or freaked out if people stopped making such a big deal about nakedness. There’s nothing wrong with nudity, or in this case people being affectionate while scantily clad