Financial services firm Dixon Advisory ‘breached Australian road rules’ in ad, says ASB
A print ad for finance and investment firm Dixon Advisory has fallen foul of the Ad Standards Board.
The ad, which appeared in The Australian, shows a couple on a scooter, both wearing helmets although the male’s strap is not fastened.
A complaint to the Ad Standards Board said: “The law states the helmet must be securely fastened, this advert has disregarded this fact and could lead to persons acting in the same manner which could in turn lead to very serious outcomes if not fatal.”
Responding to the complaint, Dixon Advisory noted the image used was bought from an online stock image provider and was not made by the company itself.
Dixon Advisory said it “takes matters of road safety very seriously” and it wishes to avoid any encouragement of unsafe road behaviours.
The financial services provider added the focus of the advertisement was not the image but the promotion of self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) seminars.
Before the decision from the ad watchdog was made, Dixon Advisory said it had removed the ad in question from all marketing materials.
A ThinkStock image of a man with an unfastened helmet
The ad watchdog said Australian road rules are very clear and a helmet must be worn securely by a driver and a passenger.
Despite being unable to tell if the motorbike is stationary or moving, the Board said the ad does not uphold prevailing community standards.
“In the Board’s view the advertisement did breach the Australian Road Rules with regards to the wearing of helmets while on a scooter and noted that those road rules are the prevailing community standard on the safe riding of scooters,” the determination said.
“Based on the above, in the Board’s view the advertisement does depict material contrary to Prevailing Community Standards on health and safety and that it did breach Section 2.6 of the Code.”
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
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Just when you thought the ASB couldn’t get any more pathetic or pedantic…
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Perhaps Dixon Advisory should get an ad-agency, and then a). no more code breaches and b). no more shit looking ads that falsely stereotype their TA. How many fucking pensioners do you know that ride scooters with or without a strap done up?
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Coz ad agencies never produce ads that breach codes?!
It’s just common sense, really.
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It’s clearly a photo taken in Europe so they’re probably also driving the wrong way down a one way street and no one gives a sh1t.
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