Just as Real

Minneapolis ad agency Preston Spire’s “Just as Real” spot connects the serious issue of gambling addiction to more well-known vices for the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling nonprofit organization SAINT PAUL — As hundreds of millions of dollars are put toward gambling-related TV advertising — framing gambling as an exciting way to win money fast — Minneapolis advertising agency Preston Spire is countering that narrative with a new TV PSA that presents a raw and very real look at the issue of gambling addiction. The spot, “Just as Real,” was produced for Preston Spire’s client, the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling (MNAPG), a gambling-neutral organization. Preston Spire, which recently won a Bronze Effie and a Radio Mercury Award, is guided by its defining belief and mantra that “Good Wins”: to produce meaningful and inviting creative experiences for consumers.

Preston Spire’s creative team says the message in “Just as Real” was meant to present a realistic vision that counters the look, feel and fun of sports betting ads. The video shows a man opening a pack of cards as if it were a beer, smoking the deck like a pack of cigarettes and using the deck to cut cocaine in order to indelibly connect gambling addiction to these more well-known vices.