Lots of publicity as it is now a feature story!

Herald-Sun: http://linky.com.au/z2tp4

I think it is in good fun...but is it bad publicity or good publicity?

After looking at the ad, the article made it sound a lot worse than it is. Unfortunate choice of player to use in that scene I guess, but a bit of an over reaction.

At least people know the nbl season is starting and is on free to air, front page of news.com.au is HUGE exposure.

This is a joke, i think people need to stop being so sensitive. All he did in the ad was look at her and wink. Plus there were two black americans in the ad. Taj McCullough, and Steve carfino. Im sure if they had a problem with it they would've said something. Obviously these former NBL legends dont want the game to succeed.

Every advert is in the eyes of the beholder; and media tend to overhype everything if they get the chance.

You might remember the KFC advert for the World cup in the windies where it has the Aussie amongst the Jamaicans sharing a bucket of Chicken. The ad was promoting sharing the "Cricket Bucket" because "everyone loves chicken". Naturally a sect out there auto-jump to "racial stereotypes" and call the ad "racist".

Just have to live with the fact that some people can't get their heads out of the 70's and 80's racial profiling.

Thanks for that CJ.

Ugh. So stupid. Way to make something out of nothing.

Are these guys for real? Are they upset that a NBL player is depicted jumping into bed with another couple, or that a BLACK NBL player is? If it's the former - far enough. While I believe the NBL was simply trying to show that basketball is exciting and entertaining, the ad is possibly in poor taste. However, if they are upset that the player shown in black - then I really don't understand what the problem is. What difference does the ethnicity of the player make?

they should have had balls land in the bed and pick up the wife. atleast he has balls!

Not everything that features African Americans has a racist overtone (or undertone).

The theme is 'the NBL coming to your place'. I thought the add was clever and well executed.

Maybe there's an inference that I can't appreciate, but personally I think this is a bit of a stretch. Kind of like mistaking an average 90's Supercats player with a flat top for Cecil Exum.

Just cut that scene out of the ad and move on then, keep the whingers happy.

The irony is that by bringing attention to the ad they're indirectly perpetuating the stereotype themselves.

not only by going on about it, but the NBL is getting alot more publicity.

I think it just comes so awkwardly soon after Bryant Matthews was the unwanted third party in a bedroom and ended up in a different kind of court. Obviously there would've been no ill-intent from the league and player in question, just a cheeky scene in an ad of cheeky scenes (players running amok in a house). Maybe if he'd landed on a couch amongst a family trying to watch a game on TV?

However, greats of the game who have adopted Australia as their home have expressed their concern. None of those guys have ever struck meas attention-seeking types - characters, yes - but if they're writing to someone about their concern, they likely feel very seriously about it.

Not sure that they would've taken the risk myself, but could it have been a calculated publicity-seeking ploy from One and the league?

NBL is the number one story on the daily telegraph site and the season hasn't started yet, wow this NBL thing is really making a comeback.

if it was balls that did land in the bed, is that stereotyping ranga's?

I haven't seen media out there to suggest he has a publicist constantly working for him. Sounds like Boti talked to him about it (or vice versa) and then he (and some others) were chased up for comment - like I said, he's a character who doesn't cry about attention, but it doesn't strike me as something he'd do just for easy publicity.

And it's a valid concern. x months after a black Kings player gets done for being the surprise third-party in a bedroom, One/NBL release an ad including a, guess what, black Kings player surprising a couple in their bedroom.

I imagine it's mostly an oversight rather than something malicious, plus an attempt to be cheeky more than anything, but it's definitely awkward and if a group of NBL legends have a beef with it, that's an issue, right?

this was a news story in Brisbane about 10 days ago interesting that it has taken so long to get going nationally although it doesnt appear on adelaide now

Boti had a much more moderate piece about it yesterday.

Cal, talking about calling the kettle black.
You've got thousands of stones and living in a glass box, it will come shattering down if I hear another peep!

Maybe poor timing due to the above mentioned legal case. They should have used Ng for the scene. He could have dressed as a ninja and jumped in the bed.
So would that have been racist?

on the legends.......

"let he who has not sinned cast the first stone"

and then watch them ducking for cover!!!

(Mod: Bit antagonistic.)

Isaac - so who are the targets for this advertising? How many would know and, if they did, care about the Bryant Matthews and Tiny Pinder history? I for one made no connection to either event, and I paid moderate attention at the times.

When I saw the ad I saw it as pretty effective and clever and certainly not as concerning in any way. The scene people have chosen to focus on I saw as very tongue in cheek (both belonging to the same person for anyone getting carried away - as everyone seems to have).

It's a storm in a teacup and an overall positive for the league's profile.

I'm going against the grain here but the first time I saw the ad I definitely thought it was pushing the boundaries of acceptable advertising. To me it perpetuated the stereotype that all imports who come into the league are rampant womanisers off court.

dont see how it is racist it was just meant to be a funny scene in the commercial whats wrong with that. Didnt say or do anything actually racist or am i missing something

I thought it was crossing the line slightly, whether intentionally or not. Though when I first watched it I was more distracted thinking "since when does Mike Helms play for Sydney?!"

I heard that it was originally meant to be Abercrombie but he had to fly out before they completed filming.

Peter, I was trying to say that it was a valid concern for those imports. I don't think the majority of viewers will be bothered by it and the publicity likely won't hurt the league in this case.

Jesus...

its a bit blown out of proportion in my opinion. at the end of the day if anyone landed in that bed next to that chick and didnt try to score her then they are clearly not heterosexual.

If it was a caucasion, would they have argued the same fact?? If they say no, then they themselves are being racist.

Im pretty over this crap about political correctness being taken WAY to far. Your not allowed to have a "coloured" person on TV and make a joke, or its Racist. Its funny but I dont see caucasions (who arent actually white but are classed as such, another form of racism which is never highlighted) complaining that we are stereo typed.

Here's the NBL's statement on the controversy:

Basketball Australia is delighted that the National Basketball League has returned to free-to-air television this season, on ONE.

Basketball Australia is also delighted that the National Basketball League is being strongly supported and promoted on the network.

The ONE promo spot is clearly intended to be light-hearted and fun, reinforcing the fact the NBL is back in people's homes, on free-to-air air television.

We believe viewers and supporters will certainly see the promo in the light in which it was intended, and we note the overwhelming feedback from the public that this is indeed the case.

Wouldn't surprise me one bit if NBL even bought this controversy up

I looked at the ad and didn't even think of the Bryant Matthews case. The ad depicted too much fun to connect it with Bryant Matthews. I am just wondering if its reverse psychology coming into play here by drawing attention to this ad by 3 of the legends and high profile players of the past. If its racist that a black guy ended up in bed between a white couple, would it have been racist if the couple were black and the player was white? What's the difference and would it have stirred up the same racist comments?

From the Ten News article

For some, it immediately evoked memories of former Sydney Kings player Bryant Matthews, who was jailed for rape when he was found in similar circumstances as an unwanted third person in bed with a couple in Sydney in 2006.

I agree with you EC it seems a bit of a stretch. although the NBL is getting a tonne of exposure from this.

You can't cut the scene out, thats racial exclusion.

One HD continued to run with the ad in full over the weekend...obviously the ad is OK otherwise the government watchdog for advertising on TV would have pulled them up already!

I definitely do not think the ad is racist, and at best the situation depicted could only be described as being in bad taste to a minute level.

Great publicity IMO for the NBL rather than being a negative.

.... well I supoose the black guy could have been facing the white guy and smiled but that would then have upset another group of people. The particular scene under discussion is only a very small part of the total promotion. The actual concept is similar to both soccer and AFL promotions in recent years, I would have preferred game action shots, with an appropriate music background. The aim should be to get people to games, not just throwing basketballs around the home.

But the ad was for One HD plugging their coverage of the NBL on FTA TV - it was not an ad for attending an NBL game live in person.

Hence the NBL players running amock in the family home - NBL back on FTA TV in Your Home!

The scene is probably more bad taste than racist. I am not too sure the ad agency has worked out who the target market is.

Like Ushiro said, you could have had anyone do that and offend any sub-group. If he had of turning to the male and given him a wink, well....imagine that controversy!

The ad agency I believe were trying to get the message across that the NBL can be seen at home and part of the home. Simple as that. As a society, the bedroom door is normally closed so whenever any scene takes place in the bedroom, eyebrows are raised.

Overall, the advertising industry targets ads to certain markets. With women responsible for most of the household spending, most ads are filmed with women in dominant, responsible positions and the men in support, comic roles. For example, the Foxtel ad where the overweight, submissive male installer asks where the bathroom is. The man of the house misunderstands the question, whereas the "sensible, in control" woman knows what is going on. Ads are more sexist than racist, because most are targeted at women.

You can always tell in an advert who the target market is but the females in the ads. Blonde females means the ad is targeted at men. Brunette females means the ad is targeted at women.

Next ad break check it out.

Also Ushiro, it was discussed earlier that the reason there is no in game footage is because Foxtel would exclusively own the rights to those clips, unless you want them showing clips of the old school days, hopefully they are gathering some clips from the preseason games to get there own footage for some ads.

The ads sweet, everyone needs to harden up

Jack, or to put it another way, imagine if he wandered into the kids room. It could go from 'cheeky' to 'very very wrong' very quickly. I guess how you react is how close to the edge you think it is.

Oh dear, that would be very, very wrong.

BTW....
Has anyone thought to ask "Why were the couple in bed during daylight hours?" They must be shiftworkers.......

Fair enough about the "in the home" coverage, watched the ad again and that makes sense. The first time I was just looking out for the controversial bit.

Taj McCullough has his say:

"If I had thought about it being racist or that it put me in a position of misrepresenting black men I never would have participated in the commercial," McCullough told us. "I just thought it was a fun way to promote the NBL.

"It didn't even cross my mind that it was offensive.

"I am disappointed that some comments in the media have removed the focus from the love of the game and the appeal to families."

Article in USA Today as well.

http://linky.com.au/uvdc2

this is getting so carried away now. i love the ad and dont see the racial side to it at all. in my opinion the people that sit there and keep raving on about its racial reference are the ones who are racist. until it was brought up i just thought the ad was fun and in good entertainment.

that comment in the USA today article saying 'you wouldnt see kobe bryant jumping into a couples bed for an ad' thats because America is so hypersensitive about any reference that refers to anything is considered offensive. we are not American and we dont mean it in bad taste. dont like...? then dont watch it

Totally with you.

Agreed.

Kobe was prob not the best example either...Colarado anyone?

Grr Colorado. Sorry.