Lotto’s naked skiing ad is the most complained about ad in New Zealand in 2025 so far, with 48 complaints lodged with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – but is a bare bottom really that shocking?

Not according to New Zealand Naturist Federation president Alice de Wet, who told Herald NOW’s Ryan Bridge she thought it was “strange” that the ad had led to so many complaints.

“It’s quite interesting. The ad was just meant as fun and funny, and completely natural,” de Wet said.

“Even naturists wouldn’t be offended by the ad,” she added, explaining that most naturists “would not go skiing naked” but “each to their own” as long as it’s not affecting anyone else.

De Wet clarified that “it is technically not illegal” to be naked in public in New Zealand, as long as “it’s not affecting anyone else”. It’s a matter of common sense, she added.

The NZ Naturist Federation president said that, in New Zealand, “overall people are fairly laid back but it all depends on how you practice naturism”.

“Naturism is actually very family-friendly. It’s not anything strange or odd, it’s very natural. It should not be seen as anything unnatural or shocking,” she added.

ASA has received 48 complaints about the bare-bottomed skiers since the commercial first aired on May 31.

The complaints have not been upheld.

“The board noted that the advertisement had been played at a relatively high frequency and across a broad range of programmes targeting a mainly adult audience,” ASA said.

Lotto's naked skier advertisement has drawn almost 50 complaints, says the Advertising Standards Authority.

“The complaints board considered the content of the advertisement. The complaints board said the nudity in the advertisement was brief and not close-up or gratuitous, and it was relevant to the story in the advertisement.

“The board said the man appears to have told his friends that if he wins Powerball, he will ski naked down a mountain.

“The complaints board said while the nudity in the advertisement was designed to ‘make you look’, it was not sexualised or likely to cause harm to a general audience.”