'Joke' Ian Thorpe Pool-Cleaning Pitch Part Of Small Business Campaign

Optus revealed that Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe's Thorpedo Pool Cleaning ad "was a joke," according to David Kiefaber of AD WEEK. Specifically, it is part of Optus' "The Olympics for Small Business" campaign, which is giving Australian small businesses a chance to compete for four trips to Rio 2016. It turns out Thorpedo Pool Cleaning "founder" Thorpe does not "take himself very seriously, which breathes a lot of vigor and fun into this whole thing." Referring to pool cleaning as "a natural progression in [his] career" and showing off the drawer containing his Olympic Gold Medals (and petty cash) "are our favorite moments, and his pool shapes flashcard test is pretty great, too" (AD WEEK, 5/16).