Ad Standards board rules BMW ad depicts unsafe driving
The Advertising Standards Board (ASB) has upheld a complaint against a 45-second cinema ad for the BMW 2 Series Coupé for depicting unsafe driving, despite the brand arguing “high standard” editing was what created the effect.
The ad, localised work from the US, shows the car driven on public highways in the US as well as public and private unsealed roads in a dusty desert environment.
A complaint submitted to the ad watchdog read: “The advertisement commenced with the vehicle being accelerated such that it lost traction of its driving wheels, then accelerating at speed and preceded to display 360s and significant loss of traction, typical of hoon activity. I consider it portrays an unfavourable message, contrary to safe and sensible driving.”
BMW defended the spot, explaining a sensation of speed was created by deliberate editing. They said:
“This cinema ad was created using international stock footage of a much longer duration (approximately 2 minutes). The car is not shown being driven in excess of applicable legal speed limits in the footage, specifically no image of the speedometer was shown. Instead any sensation of ‘speed’ was delivered by deliberate editing of a high standard (including by panning or rotating the footage) to create dramatic visual effect with alternative rock background music track sourced from local Australian band Kings of the North and sped up in pace from the original stock footage to match the musical beat and also shortened in duration for commercial (cost) reasons.”
The brand asked for the ASB to not consider the “frivolous” complaint and urged for it be dismissed:
“Val Morgan had no issue with the footage being played in the cinema specified as we had submitted the footage for their prior review to ensure that we were compliant with all their guidelines. BMW is a subscriber of the Advertising Standards Board and also takes into consideration the guidance from the FCAI Code of Practice for Motor Vehicle Advertising and its obligations under it.
BMW further notes that the cinema campaign will cease being aired after W/C 17th April, 2014. It is unfortunate that this complaint has come about at the conclusion of a long and otherwise successful campaign. BMW does not consider this complaint or its allegations to be substantiated in any way and accordingly BMW submits that this application be dismissed summarily as a frivolous complaint given the cinematic environment.”
In making its ruling, the board “noted that when the vehicle pulls away we can hear the engine being revved and we can see tyre marks in the bitumen”, also noting that “advertisement also depicts the vehicle swerving and changing direction suddenly and considered that the overall suggestion is of a vehicle being driven in a reckless manner which is unsafe” which as a result led to the board upholding the complaint.
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
Linkedin
How do I make a complaint about the people who waste time making complaints like this to the ASB?
Yeah, I know there will be the ‘Socialist Aristocrats’ who will agree with the complaintant, but seriously…
Why cant they complain about how when they opened a ‘Freddo Frog’, and a cartoon frog didnt appear like in the advert? Everything that happens in ads MUST happen in the real world, right?
User ID not verified.
Yeah, it was the editing! (not)… Brought to you by the same school of thought that brought you ‘the cheque’s in the mail’
User ID not verified.
The complainant probably has something against BMWs. Or cars. Or excitement.
Maybe all 3.
Nanny’s.
User ID not verified.
The complainant works for Mercedes
User ID not verified.
I too would like to submit a complaint about the person complaining about this add Bucks…
Unfavorable messages are everywhere in society. They always have been and always will be. Only a small cross section of people would complain that this add is possibly influencing ‘hoon drivers’ to the extent that it should be removed from screening. Thankfully, they didn’t get their way for once! These are the sort of people that believe they know what’s best for others, a condition that has been far more detrimental to society as a whole than hoon driving ever could be. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and everyone else is also entitled to not having that opinion forced upon them. Some people choose to drive like dickheads and usually aren’t influenced by information mediums such as media.
An advert, movie or documentary depicting a car breaking traction, does not mean that instances of such behavior will increase in society. If you believe that this ad will influence hoons in a negative way and you feel that you need to do something about hoon driving, then you need to get to the core of such behavior in society, not try to stop a single add to feel better about yourself, whilst hoping dangerous driving will disappear over night in the process. Put your time and effort into advocating for safer roads, better driver training and for places where people (especially young males that will always take risks) can drive their cars however they want, without risk to others. I know that race tracks, drag strips and rally tracks are available to tickle that petrol fueled itch, but a good percentage of people who drive dangerously on public roads can’t afford such luxuries. Therefor, a push for free track days for hoons to get burnouts and fast driving out of their system would be a much better path to take than complaining about this add. Not that law enforcement would want such a thing, as, the multiple thousands made in revenue each year from speeding and wreckless driving fines is a honeypot that’s far too lucrative for any government agency to help reduce.
No, I’m definitely no hoon, advocating for hoons. I have lost so many friends and an amazing long term partner to car accidents. 8 people in some 10-15 years. Only one of them was driving dangerously, the rest were driving legally, to the road conditions and most died below 80km/h, one at 40km/ph! Hoons, while an issue, are far from the main road issue/danger and ads depicting mild (at best) hoon driving that’s done by professionals to jazz up the ad are so far from the issue that you must have nothing better to do if you lodge a formal complaint on the matter.
Great backing track. King Of The North deserve as much recognition as the car 😉
User ID not verified.