GetUp is an Australian organisation that promotes responsible gambling, and is well-known for being very vocal about its views. This week, the organisation launched a new ad campaign about poker machines that is quite controversial. The advertisement shows a family having a happy holiday barbeque. Then, it quickly cuts to a man playing pokies and his family who are at home, without any presents and with past-due bills on the refrigerator.
The tag line reads “Christmas: brought to you by Woolworths”. Take a look at the ad here:
The advertisement is an attack on Woolworths, which owns the largest number of pokies in Australia. GetUp states that point of the ad is to show the hypocrisy of Woolworths celebrating family values during the holiday season and year-round while capitalising on gambling profits that are derived from addicted players.
“Together, we'll crash their Christmas party by getting our revamped TV ad in holiday show spots and local cinemas,” reads a statement from GetUp. The organisation has launched a funding campaign, and hopes to raise the money necessary to get the ad on the air.
GetUp wants to have the ad shown on network television and in cinemas during the holiday season in hopes that Woolworths will work harder to promote responsible gambling among its poker machine players. Woolworths has yet to respond to the ad, but Channel 9 has shared its thoughts. The network has refused to air the advertisement, as it has close ties to Woolworths.
By airing the ad, Channel 9 could damage its relationship with the company. Still, GetUp remains hopeful that other networks will support its cause. GetUp is also campaigning for signatures on its petition in support of mandatory pre-commitment on poker machines. You can learn more about the petition on GetUp’s website.
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