The California Lottery is taking down a new television ad that the California Legislative Women's Caucus said inappropriately "glamorizes violence."
The ad, which has been airing for about two weeks, had come under fire for a scene in which a woman acting as "Lady Luck" slaps a man playing a new scratch lotto game.
The Lottery decided today to replace that commercial with a version where the woman instead blows a kiss to the man at the end, said Russ Lopez, the Lottery's deputy director of corporate communications.
"That was not and would never be our intention to glamorize violence," he said.
Lopez said officials had always intended to run two versions of the commercial, which promotes the new Black Scratchers game. He said officials began discussion switching the ads earlier this week after hearing concerns from "a few" customers.
"We're not in the business of controversy," he said. "We're in the business of growing the lottery for the benefit of public education."
Lopez said the ad had received hundreds of "Likes" on Facebook and other positive feedback and just a dozen or so complaints. He also said participants in focus groups run before the ad went on the air did not raise concerns about the slap.
"Nobody had an issue with it," he said. "(They) saw a metaphor for being struck by Lady Luck."
The new version of the ad will continue to air in broadcast markets statewide. The cost of producing the spot and buying airtime was not immediately available.
Photo Caption: California State Lottery lady luck comercial.
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