Update: Volley website traffic up 275% following Francis' Tweet
The Australian Christian Lobby’s Queensland director, Wendy Francis, has warned parents about the latest Dunlop Volley campaign released last year, saying it’s “all about rooting”.
The ad features semi-clad couples and kissing men frolicking in nothing but a part of Volleys, as part of a radical rebrand from the iconic Australian shoewear brand. For the campaign, it partnered with condom brand Ansell to celebrate sexual expression and support safe sex.
The campaign also uses the word 'root' multiple times in its copy. "We're all about rooting," it says, meaning 'rooting' as in for change, but it also has another meaning – one we’ll let you guess on your own.
Of course, Francis took offense to the new #Grassroots campaign and tweeted:
“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”.
https://twitter.com/wendyjoyfrancis/status/821159875484844032
Naturally, Twitter couldn’t resist the opportunity to roast Francis:
https://twitter.com/LucyXIV/status/821200152677359618
https://twitter.com/revdanichols/status/821204441290260480
https://twitter.com/krikkett39/status/821258483244810240
https://twitter.com/JoshButler/status/821201289342160897
https://twitter.com/src89/status/821204750133653792
Francis responded to the critism on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/wendyjoyfrancis/status/821253630938333184
But some people agreed with Francis:
https://twitter.com/trace_80/status/821198642572689411
https://twitter.com/vandersee_grant/status/821200905898860545
Francis has taken a strong stance against risqué advertising in the past, lobbying for the removal of a strip club billboard in Brisbane in 2013 and creating a media storm over condom advertising on bus shelters.
AdNews asked Volley Australia marketing manager Maria Doubrovski in 2016 if she thought sex really sells in advertising. Read more here.
Volley could not be reached for comment.
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