Driver’s deadly visions okayed by advertising body

Tim Burrowes

February 27, 2012 9:11

A disturbing ad featuring a young driver who sees visions of the people who are about to become accident victims because he was distracted has been given the all clear by the advertising watchdog.

The two minute ad targets inexperienced drivers at risk of being distracted by friends in the car.

The Advertising Standards Board was asked to rule on the ad after a complaint that it scared children watching it at the cinema before The Adventures of Tin Tin: “I took my two children – ages 3 and 8 to see the film and they were scared and horrified of the above advertisement. I had to cover their eyes while they cringed and tried not to hear it too.”

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.

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3 COMMENTS

Trollolololo 27 Feb 12

Very good.

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Dave the gay art director 27 Feb 12

The driver is cute, but overacts a little..

Where do they play the 2 minutes tho to give it a good exposure?

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AdStudent 27 Feb 12

I don’t find this advertising to horrific to watch. the theatre of the mind is used highly here and the creative edge given is amazing. With no horrific scenes like we do see in some Road traffic Control advertisement, it encourages us to think and get more emotionally involved.
Great Job

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