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Hyundai reprimanded for breaching Australian road rules in car commercial

The ad watchdog has reprimanded Hyundai for breaking the Australian road rules in an ad which shows a woman sitting in a car while it is being towed.

The 15 second television commercial shows a woman sitting in a car with her seatbelt on smiling and waving, as the camera zooms out it is revealed she is sitting in her car while it is being moved on a tow truck.

A complaint posted to Ad Standards pointed out the ad shows illegal road behaviour.

Responding to the complaint, Hyundai said the ads have a “humorous” and “light-hearted” tone and is drawing on the excitement felt when purchasing a new car.

“The advertisements are not intended to be taken literally and a reasonable viewer will understand that the advertisements are dealing with the emotion of quickly wanting to buy a new car to take advantage of an attractive offer,” Hyundai said.

Despite Hyundai’s justification, Ad Standards said the ad was “not clearly humour or fantasy, as the behaviour would be possible”.

Upholding the complaint, Ad Standards said the ad portrays driving practices which are unsafe and that would breach any Commonwealth law”.

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