Ad watchdog bans zigzagging Street Strider ad
An ad for three-wheeled fitness device the Street Strider has been banned by the advertising watchdog because of footage of dangerous behaviour by its users.
According to the complaint to the Advertising Standards Board: “I am concerned about safety issues any child for example watching these ads will have the actions in the ads reinforced in his or her mind whether s/he gets a street strider or not. Swerving all over the road, going downhill around bends not seeing oncoming traffic on the side of the road and some unsuspecting driver heading into the street strider riders with nowhere to go and so on.”
Upholding the complaint, the ASB ruled: “The Board noted that as the person travels forward he is weaving from side to side and as he does so a car is seen on the opposing side of the street indicating that the road is a two way road. The Board noted that the actions of the person do not appear uncontrolled however considered that most reasonable members of the community would consider this behaviour unsafe and against prevailing community standards.”
It added: “Toward the end of the advertisement there is a particular scene where a couple are riding side-by-side along a road and they are across both lanes of the road. The Board considered that that this clearly depicted a scene where there was a rider on the incorrect side of the road and this was both dangerous and an illegal riding practice.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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ASB: “We think you and your children are idiots”.
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Was it because users look like utter twats?
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Could you imagine the phone call from the advertising agency to the client the Monday morning… ‘uhhhh we stuffed it’
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That’s a case of an overseas ad getting shoved on air without the right consideration perhaps?
Looks like they could resurrect a cut down version by flipping a shot or two though and cutting out the crazy riding.
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ban all bikes, skateboards, surfboards, roller skates, scooters, billy carts, tree-climbing, swings, slides, bush-walking, running, sport, tig, personal responsibility: invent extra-wide bubblewrap for the obese.
Miikey C
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Edit the video and get those machines out there. With obesity rife and nordic cross-trainers making a difference in the gym, why not encourage non-gym users to get on these machines…burning calories counts!
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@ Miikey C. I think you might be missing the point. I don’t think anyone’s saying ban risky sports, more so the ad didn’t meet the Advertising Standard Board’s criteria. Which is fair enough…
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Modern Family. Or just me?
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Really, what type of agency doesn’t see this? Amateur hour! id be changing agencies after this….
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Oh Sweet Baby Jesus! I thought pedalos were naff….these are summit else! (and I wear Crocs)
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