Ad Standards Australia objects to Supercheap’s new best performing oil ad
Supercheap Auto has been embroiled in controversy with the country’s advertising watchdog following the release of its latest Best Performing Oils video and subsequent advertisements, which appear to present dangerous and illegal behavior according to Advertising Standards Australia.
This year’s best performing oil feature was Released via YouTube on September 7 and is set in a fictional retirement village for motorsport athletes and car celebrities, culminating in a frenzy among the old people to get the weekly bingo game brought forward an hour.
A full suburban gymnasium as countless stars and celebrities take to the streets of Bingo to engage in all manner of competitive cars to engage in tongue-in-cheek drifts, spins, burnouts, donuts, jumps and an arsenal of slow-motion stunts. It starts. hall.
Of all the different stunts performed, it seems that one in particular did not please the viewer, who later complained to the Advertising Standards community panel.
“A man is standing while a car circles him at high speed, appearing to miss him,” the complaint says, referring to a scene involving Supercars drivers David Reynolds and Matthew Payne. “
“I was under the impression that such depictions of dangerous driving were illegal?”
Supercheap Auto provided a lengthy response to the complaint, insisting that the ad and the extensive video had received classification and pre-approval from Clear Ads before being aired, shot in a highly controlled environment away from the public and with professional drivers. it was done.
“The vehicle used in the ad is clearly a professional race car with race-car livery, no number plates, and a roll cage. This is not a passenger or street legal vehicle,” the response reads.
“We’ve created a suite of supporting ‘behind the scenes’ content for online, including interviews with stunt drivers, stunt coordinators and on-set safety supervisors on the important steps they took to be able to perform the precise tricks Let us tell you about the practice.
“The action in the advertisement has been highly dramatized to ensure that the advertisement depicts a fictional scenario.
“We also used music and humor to reinforce that this is a highly stylized ‘made-for-TV’ environment, not an everyday scenario that could be replicated in the real world.
“For the reasons outlined in this response we do not believe that the advertisement depicts material that violates section 2.6 of the Code, but rather is a highly detailed choreographed exercise intended to demonstrate the oil brand’s performance to professional drivers. Reflects the driving sequence.”
Section 2.6 of the AANA Code of Conduct states that an advertisement must not depict material contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety, for example riding a bike without a helmet or not wearing a seat belt in a moving car.
Despite Supercheap’s best efforts to meet the criteria and follow the correct classification procedures, the Advertising Standards Community Panel ultimately ruled that the ad violates section 2.6 of the Code and needs to be amended accordingly.
The panel said it would be illegal for a vehicle to perform the stunt shown in the advertisement on a residential road.
The panel considered that the driver might have been shown in safety gear, but not the pedestrian on the road.
“The panel noted the advertiser’s response that make-up was applied to make the pedestrian appear older, adding to the unrealistic nature of the ad, although it considered that this was not obvious in the shorter ad.
“The panel acknowledged that there is high concern in the community about the risks associated with performing such stunts by non-professional drivers and considered that if anyone attempted to replicate such driving it could result in serious injury or death Is.
“The panel considered that performing this stunt on a residential road was glamorising such driving, and that the message in the advert to ‘make it super’ could be interpreted as a suggestion that the promoted oil products should be used. Any vehicle from would be capable of performing the same feat.
“Overall, the Panel considered that demonstrating illegal driving behavior on a residential road would be contrary to prevailing community standards on road safety.”
Supercheap Auto has confirmed that it will modify the advertisement to ensure it complies with Section 2.6, but will be replacing the full-length video on YouTube due to it being published as a feature as opposed to a commercial advertisement. Will not done.
Other high-profile advertisements deemed too dangerous for Australians include Latest RAM 1500 TRX Advertisementwhich shows the world’s most powerful production pick-up roosting its passengers through sand dunes – and the pre-launch teaser for the Ford Ranger Raptor, Which shows the twin-turbo super-ute leaping across the desert,