In its latest campaign for its PlayNow Sports brand, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) is (literally) stripping away the usual tropes of sports betting advertising.

Called “Picture Them Naked,” the campaign – which was developed with agency partner One Twenty Three West – aims to break up the one-note nature of sports betting ads, says Kate Roland, creative director at the agency.

“They’re flashy, loud and often not super clear: Who am I betting with? Where’s my money going?” she elaborates. “We wanted to turn that intimidation factor on its head and lighten up the experience. With PlayNow Sports, there’s nothing to hide. You can just focus on enjoying the game.”

Nothing to hide, indeed. In a 30-second spot, players of several sports, including football and hockey, are depicted competing in the buff – perhaps with a few pads here, or a helmet there.

It’s a rare tongue-in-cheek approach to the category that stands in stark contrast to the loud and swagger-filled messaging of the brand’s competitors. And it channels the conventional wisdom that if an audience makes you nervous, you should picture them naked.

“Our goal is to reduce intimidation on all fronts, so that people can get into the fun of the game,” says Jessica Bieniasz, senior specialist for sports brand and advertising with the BCLC at PlayNow Sports. “Not only are we B.C.’s home for safe and secure sports betting, we want to make it easier to learn your way around all the jargon and how to bet.”

The campaign launched this month and will run through the fall across TV, online and social. Cossette Media handled the buy.