Listen Top Shows Blog

Remember When: Abstain for the Game was the century’s most bizarre ad campaign

Remember When: Abstain for the Game was the century’s most bizarre ad campaign

Update: 2023-10-09

Share

Description

Ahead of the incredibly tense 2011 Rugby World Cup, Abstain for the Game was a Telecom (now Spark) ad campagin using former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick, in a tuxedo, driving a pink dodgem, asking a tightly wound nation to keep it in their pants. It was an extremely odd ad, and created a furious response from a humourless public. Within days it was withdrawn with heavy apologies. But the ad has aged well, and as The Real Pod remembers when, they also ask – did we get this one wrong?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comments

In Channel

The Spinoff presents SUPERPOD 2023

The Spinoff presents SUPERPOD 2023

2023-12-1841:46

The final episode

The final episode

2023-11-2901:40:03

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 5

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 5

2023-11-2745:34

Remember When: Sky 1 used to show soft porn

Remember When: Sky 1 used to show soft porn

2023-11-2217:04

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 4

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 4

2023-11-2038:13

Remember When: We all lost our minds over chocolate milk

Remember When: We all lost our minds over chocolate milk

2023-11-1519:05

The realest news

The realest news

2023-11-1410:34

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 3

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 3

2023-11-1452:00

Remember When: Bill English’s spaghetti pizza broke the internet

Remember When: Bill English’s spaghetti pizza broke the internet

2023-11-0815:14

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 2

My Kitchen Rules NZ: Week 2

2023-11-0648:29

Remember When: A death metal band played on The Erin Simpson Show

Remember When: A death metal band played on The Erin Simpson Show

2023-11-0124:16

My Kitchen Rules NZ recap: Week 1

My Kitchen Rules NZ recap: Week 1

2023-10-3045:25

And the winner of Celebrity Treasure Island is...

And the winner of Celebrity Treasure Island is...

2023-10-2433:02

Remember When: Thin Lizzy 6-in-1 promised a makeup miracle

Remember When: Thin Lizzy 6-in-1 promised a makeup miracle

2023-10-2429:28

Celebrity Treasure Island: Week 5

Celebrity Treasure Island: Week 5

2023-10-1753:31

Remember When: C4 blasted onto our screens

Remember When: C4 blasted onto our screens

2023-10-1624:33

Celebrity Treasure Island: Week 4

Celebrity Treasure Island: Week 4

2023-10-1044:31

Remember When: Abstain for the Game was the century’s most bizarre ad campaign

Remember When: Abstain for the Game was the century’s most bizarre ad campaign

2023-10-0919:05

Celebrity Treasure Island: Week 3

Celebrity Treasure Island: Week 3

2023-10-0349:39

Remember When: The Ferndale Strangler terrorised Shortland Street

Remember When: The Ferndale Strangler terrorised Shortland Street

2023-10-0217:00

00:00

00:00

x

Remember When: Abstain for the Game was the century’s most bizarre ad campaign

Remember When: Abstain for the Game was the century’s most bizarre ad campaign

The Spinoff