Budget Direct hit with breach for ‘violent’ pool cleaner ad: ‘This is too intense and graphic’
Budget Direct has discontinued the 45 second version of its TVC after a scene depicting a pool cleaner attacking a family was found in breach of Ad Standards for violence.
The spot, which was created by 303 MullenLowe, sees the pool cleaner come to life after being struck by a bolt of lightening, causing chaos and destruction, before Budget Direct characters Sarge and Jacs step in to save the family and their home.
Not to mention it is mean spirited to a harmless pool cleaner too.
Surprised that Marella never notices or mentions juxtaposition between Budget Direct creative & newly / soon to be released film.
This is a take on Dune sandworm but perhaps avoiding saying so due to copyright. It even played right before the film, which is where I always see these ads.
The same with “Budget Direct – A Molten Mystery” in late 2018 which ran across multiple superhero film releases like Venom, X-Men Dark Phoenix, Avengers Endgame… and is closely modelled off “The Avengers 2012 Battle of New York” and similar scenes.
IMO, 303 have done a great job at consistently tapping into the cultural zeitgeist of their target audience by presenting an ad that’s thematically in line with current trending content (at least in TV and Cinema)