Mumbrella – A new anti-gambling campaign uses children to get across the message that they are being bombarded with pro-betting TV ads
The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation campaign – by McCann Melbourne – launches the fictional brand of KidBet.
The ad comes months after a backlash against the pervasive Tom Waterhouse ads which also saw the brand, fronted by Waterhouse, integrated into sports programs on the commercial networks.
The campaign is part of the Foundation’s new ‘Gambling’s not a game’ strategy which includes an education program for schools, parents and teachers; a responsible gambling program for sporting clubs; a guide for parents to help them talk to their children about the dangers of gambling and a supporting website.
Foundation CEO Serge Sardo said: “The ad is deliberately provocative because there appears to be a misplaced complacency around the issue.”
McCann ECD John Mescall said: “Research shows that young people are at risk of developing gambling problems because they may not understand the risks of gambling and are less able to resist advertising messages. Placing a kid front and centre in this campaign by making him an ambassador, tackles this challenge head on.”
