Ford Australia‘s contribution to the Australia/England Ashes cricket series is “Tonk a Pom”, a web site dedicated to good natured humour. The site’s key interactive feature is the “Tonk a Pom” game in which players adopt an Australian ‘tonker’ (from a choice of Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey or Andrew Symonds), face the English bowlers, and hit the ball out of the stadium. The more skillfully and hard you ‘tonk’ the ball the further you go – reaching the Gabba (Brisbane), Adelaide, Sydney Cricket Grounds and so on.
Besides the online game, the www.tonkapom.com.au site includes opportunities to win a Ford, information on four Australian cricketers, state and local cricket, information on collectible cards found at the Ford pavilions at each of the Ashes venues, wallpapers and screensavers, and the two television commercials.
Both Tonk A Pom and Tonk a Kiwi are referring people straight to the Ford Ranger website. The games are off, perhaps because Australia recently lost the Chappell Hadlee Trophy to New Zealand and the Commonwealth Bank series to England. What’s more – the Australian cricket side has been relegated to second place in the One-Day-International ranking, now behind South Africa.
Matt Hayden demonstrates how to Tonk A Pom!
“Step 1: When facing a Pom, avoid the orthodox batting stance. Instead, assume a position that says “Pom, you’re in our backyard now and you’re about to cop the traditional Aussie welcome – A tonking.” This will unsettle the Pom, making him wish that when he was back in Public School he’d joined the chess team like mummy had suggested.
“Step 2: Having successfully taken the Pom’s mind off the task at hand i.e. bowling, he’ll deliver a ball so slow you’ll be able to count the stitches in the seam. With the ball appearing the size of a watermelon, you’ll be supplied ample time to scan the extremities of the playing field and select an appropriate location to despatch the ball.
“Step 3: Go the tonk!
“Step 4: For dramatic effect, gaze heroically to the horizon. This gesture will further undermine the Pom’s confidence and reinforce the fact that one of his team-mates will be required to run a half marathon in order to retrieve the ball.
What does ‘Tonk’ mean?
The first definition in the Chambers Dictionary:
tonk (colloq) vt to strike; to defeat; to hit (a cricket ball) into the air; to hit (a ball) with a flat, wooden sound, or with an unenergetic or casual stroke. – n tonk’er [Imit]
Other blogs referring to ‘Tonk A Pom’
Vando at The Jason Recliner
Andrew at One Plus One = Thr33
Ant at Antidisestablishmentarianism
Ashley at Banner Blog
See also Stick It To The Poms – another interactive cricket site…
The Australian Advertising Standards Board ruled in December 2006 that five campaigns using the term ‘Poms’ were not intended to vilify or racially slur English people.
Some examples of the advertising taglines included “sends shivers down a Pom’s spine”; “the Poms are going to choke”; “Aussie cricket fans can stick it to the Poms”; and “for backyard fun, tonk a Pom”.
The community organisation, British People Against Racial Discrimination, was among several complainants who had objected to the use of the word “Pom” as a “derogatory, offensive and racist slur”.
In deliberating on the complaints, the Board considered that the use of the word “Pom” is part of the Australian vernacular, which is largely used in playful and often affectionate terms.
The Board also found that “Pom” is not used in a way to vilify, or incite racial hostility towards, people of British extraction, particularly when considered in the context of the cricketing tradition and affectionate rivalry between the two countries.
The Board unanimously dismissed the complaints against the five ads.
Credits
The Tonk A Pom Backyard Cricket game, along with its successor, Tonk A Kiwi, was developed by online agency Web Development Group (WDG).
Well I am from England and I think this game called TONK A POM is offensive and pathetic I think you should yake it AWAY! Who is with me?
go aussies
bring it fat man
how do u play this game cause i wanna ?
i love this game i think its great try and beat my top score 1246
and to leo its just a joke dont be offended
hi u loosa
I am a ‘Pom’ and also work for a Ford owned company.
Having been down under for the Cricket I whitnessed first hand how campaigns such as ‘Tonk a Pom’ can provoke more than friendly rivalry/banter.
We would not get away with this sort of thing in England as it would be deemed as racist.
I am very surprised that Ford sponsor this given their policy of ‘Dignity at work’.
I found the whole thing distasteful, especially when a ‘lovely’ Australian lady greeted me with ‘Hey Pommie…I F**ckin hate ya !!’ Charming.
You Aussies are very good at sport and very good at winning sport. Why not use this as ‘ammo’ for a bit of friendly banter in the stadium like the Brilliant Barmy Army.
Thought this was great crac while over watching the cricket. Got home to national outrage because someone on telly had called a girl from Pakistan a Paki. What’s wrong with that? Wish we had the Aussie(someone from Australia) relaxed attitude.
I agree with you Phil but can you imagine the outrage if we were playing tonk a paki with a ball that had a little pakistani man on wearing a beeny hat.
what did everyone think of ponting and the allan border medal ey? that was great i thought he bluddy deserved it!!
“Wish we had the Aussie(someone from Australia) relaxed attitude.”
You haven’t looked into this very deeply, have you, Phil. The fact is, the literature and imagery surrounding this purile campaign portrays Englishmen as monacle-wearing, pompous little public school wimps who should stick to “playing chess”.
You try living in this countryman as an Englishman, Phil, with stereo-types like these being sanctioned on distributed literature by official governing bodies, and you won’t be craving a more ‘Aussie’ attitude at home for much longer.
Well you well and truely Tonked us at the one dayers eh !!
You must thank your coach for his comments about not getting a game.
It’s a different game when the Aussies suffer a few injuries for a change.
See you in the West Indies
england rule this game sucks
I played “Tonk a Pom” heaps last year. And what’s more, I was rapt when we flogged the Pommies in the Ashes 5 to nothing! I even played the game’s successor, “Tonk a Kiwi” when the Tri-Nations was on! Let’s just say I am a true Aussie girl. I just love sport.
BTW, I can’t get to the game now! HELP!
screw u poms !!!!!!!!!
Australia could kick your ass any day any time anywhere!!
GO POMSSSSS
WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WE WIN MOSTLY ALL THE TIME
you wish mate we can kick your arse over he in aus or over there in pommy land
i played with micheal clark and got 823
Poms Suck So Bad Y U People Thinnk U Stand A Chance Againts Us Aussies
tonk a pom is th shitest game i have ever played
oh piss off, pommies will thrash u aussie barbequed nerdz, anyway u lot r the poms so y do u call us them them eh. i bin 2 aus its crap england rules so aussies suck it and go get eaten by a shark eh
I’m not here to start a fight over who the best nation is or anything (Australia), i’m like Black Swan and trying to find out how to get to the game so I can play it!!
PLEASE HELP ME!!!! lol.
How do u play the gamne
sem comentario
At the end of the day English are known for far more than just cricket, swimming, tennis and BBQ`s. Thats all that Aussies are known for!
It’s a really fun/addictive game, I think being offended by the name is stupid – it’s a joke.
Odd that they never thought of have a “whup the Niggers” campaign when the West Indies came over.