Off the deep end
Welcome to Dr Mumbo’s favourite time of the month: mad Ad Standards Board complaints.
Today’s victim? CommBank – and its ad featuring Olympic swimmer James Magnussen.
Or as the complainant puts it:
“This ad involves four people in costumes depicting CAN and T respectively. C A and N are in a group and the person in the in the T costume walks backwards over a cliff.
“I find this offensive and potentially dangerous from two perspectives. Firstly that as person in the in the T costume was walking slowly backwards a cliff there is a reasonable expectation the C A and N would try to avoid T from falling over the cliff.
“And secondly that if T did fall over the cliff that C A and N would check if T was ok and offer assistance as required.As this is an ad for the Commonwealth bank I believe it shows that the bank CAN but does not necessarily care for others.
“I believe that sending a message to those people that it is ok to let a cohort fall off a cliff and not to look after them is ok. I believe this is the wrong message to send to anyone and contravenes community standards and health and safety considerations.
“I have been a loyal customer of the Commonwealth bank since 1975.”
The ASB ruled: “The scenario is clearly fictitious and staged.”
Seriously?
User ID not verified.
Clearly the complaint came from a Commonwealth Bank marketing person so that it would get a run here and elsewhere. Well done.
User ID not verified.
This is hilarious!!!
User ID not verified.