NIKE’s hard-hitting Rugby World Cup TV ad that startswith a rugby player crashing through a plate glass window and ends with another leaping from a building has been given the go ahead from the Australian advertising watchdog.
The Advertising Standards Board dismissed complaints it had received about the spectacular “Keep the ball alive” ad. It is understood the complaints related to health and safety issues under the advertising code.
Nike has not been so lucky in the UK where plans to run it there were foiled by the stricter rules of the regulator the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC).
The fast action “Keep the ball alive” ad created by Australian agency Publicis Mojo features a series of international rugby stars including former Wallaby Tim Horan, Ireland's Keith Wood, France's Fabien Galthie, England's Lawrence Dallaglio, Dan Luger, James Simpson-Daniel playing rugby on the streets of London.
The opening with the crashing scene is followed by Dallaglio taking up the ball and smashing a car windscreen as he stomps over the top of a car when he takes up the ball and moves the game on. Hard tackles send people flying, a ruck looks like a scene from a city riot as cars are pushed out of the way, a drop kicks sends the ball soaring and one player dives in front of an oncoming bus to collect the ball.
The ad ends with Fijian Rupeni Caucaunibuca flying off the roof of a building after the ball.
Nike Australia’s marketing director Carl Grebert said that while the ad had been made for Australia and New Zealand the UK market had wanted to use it but it did not meet the standards of the UK regulator.
“I think it was mainly the ball play in the street that was the problem,” Grebert said.
