Ellesse Courts Controversy With Sexy Tennis Ad

Undeterred, or perhaps encouraged, by the notoriety of risqué outdoor campaigns such as Sophie Dahl’s Obsession poster (see ASA Orders Withdrawal Of Opium Ad After Most Complaints Since 1995), the FCUK ads (see Retailer’s Kinky Bugger Ad Provokes Complaints To ASA) and the near-iconic “Hello Boys” Wonderbra ad (see Wonderbra Tops Ad Poll), sports brand Ellesse has launched a provocative outdoor ad campaign for its tennis clothing.

Called “Forplay” (pictured right) the ad features a model tipped as “the next Helena Christensen” as one half of a raunchy, rain soaked embrace. It has gone up on giant billboards in major UK cities and is already reported to be provoking the sort of news-worthy reactions that bring a smile to the faces of PR executives. Traffic problems caused by drivers slowing down as they pass the posters have been reported, while Birmingham City Council has banned the ad from appearing on the city’s Town Hall, deeming it “inappropriate”.

In anticipation of public interest, Ellesse has set up a dedicated website: www.forplay.it and printed the URL on its posters. The site is reported to have received almost 250,000 hits during the first week of the ad going live.

Despite its conservative image, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has actually welcomed the advert. Tim Curzon, the LTA’s director of marketing said that it “reinforces the direction that the LTA is moving in”, which could make for some interesting Wimbledon tournaments in future…Curzon continued: “The LTA is committed to challenging the perceptions of [tennis] as elitist and inaccessible and Ellesse will certainly be helping to strengthen that message.”

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