An ad that shows a car speeding through a car park has been banned for glamourising reckless driving.
The ad, titled ‘Hot hatch’ for Suzuki Swift, shows a young couple driving through a car park with sprinklers going off behind them.
The Ad Standards Bureau said that the ad promoted speeding by using footage which has been sped up in some scenes, and with images of the driver pressing his foot on the accelerator and a rapidly increasing speedometer.
One complaint read: “The ad conveys the wrong messages to young drivers deeming it responsible to drive at breakneck speed through a multi-storey car park. Further the need to have a scantily clad lady does nothing to enhance the image of the car.”
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However, the ASB dismissed claims that the ad was sexist and discriminated against women. It ruled: “While it is not necessary for the woman to be wearing a low cut dress the dress is not inappropriate attire for a woman and that her breasts are adequately covered.”
Suzuki Australia is to put the ad back on air once the scenes of the accelerator pedal and tachometer have been deleted.
The news comes one month after the Japanese car maker had to recall 11,000 Suzuki Swifts to repair a potential defect with the car’s fuel filler pipe hose.