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A casting call looking for “athletic-looking people” to star in an advertisement for Splash Planet was pulled by a media company after feedback about the exclusive language used.
The post, shared on Facebook on Friday, was soon deleted.
Comments underneath a share of the original casting call before it was deleted expressed disappointment with its wording.
“Distasteful that you’d expect athletic people for a Splash Planet ad. It doesn’t encourage bigger people to want to come to Splash Planet. Shame on you,” one commenter said.
A new casting call post was made on Saturday by media production company Indelible - Creative Studio without any reference to “athletic-looking”, and shared by digital marketing company FizzyPop which is also working on the advertisement.
“We need one male and one female who look between the ages of 20-25 (whoever we end up casting we’d be looking to have one of them Caucasian/Pākehā and one of Māori or Polynesian descent),” the updated post said.
“Talent will need to be comfortable being on screen in swimwear.”
FizzyPop director Tom Young said the Splash Planet original casting call was specifically seeking people to portray lifeguards.
“Given the nature of a lifeguard’s role, the initial specification was for ‘athletic-looking people’. However, we recognise the importance of clarity and inclusivity in our communications. In light of feedback and reflection, we revised the casting call to ensure it aligns with our commitment to inclusiveness,” Young said.
“We value community feedback and are continuously working to ensure our communications are clear and resonate with our audience.”
James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on the environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz
