Automakers have a tough time trying to portray a message sometimes when it comes to advertising, especially for a sports car. Automakers are not allowed to, by law, show vehicles going in excess of speed limits, or promote reckless driving.
That means automakers get creative to give off the sense of speed, much like in the latest spot for the 2016 Holden VF Commodore Series II. Camera angles heighten the vehicle’s speed factor, and showcase acceleration with a delightful exhaust note from the new, bi-modal exhaust.
However, according to Motoring, the Australian Advertising Standards Board received a handful of complaints surrounding the spot. One reads as follows:
This ad is not about the car. This ad is about eliciting feelings of power, directing and motivating one to speed. Their car is the way to do this. But it is not an ad about motivating to purchase the car. Not only is it illegal to do these speeds in Australia, we have a major issue with deaths on our roads from speeding! Accidents can happen, but speed kills. Please remove it.
After consideration, the ASB insisted Holden has done nothing wrong in the advertisement. In fact, the car is never shown going above speeds of 98 kmh, or roughly 61 mph for us Yanks.
Holden promptly responded the criticism, stating the ad is not about speed, but the overall driving character of the 2016 Commodore Series II.
“The focus is on driving finesse, displaying the Commodore VFII driving along a vast flat fantasy landscape and announcing the arrival of Commodore VFII,” the manufacturer declared.
This isn’t the first time a Holden commercial has come under fire either this year. Previously, the ASB cleared the brand after a Holden Colorado ad had a young child use the phrase “bloody caravaners” in dialogue.
You can see the 2016 VF Commodore Series II ad here, and decide for yourself if the ASB made the right decision. We seem to think they have.
Comments
So now “speed” is a dirty word in the land down under. Sounds more like people need to get a grip. Those commercials are great. NOTHING WRONG WITH showing what a car can do in a closed course. AND NOTHING that should ever be “illegal”.
That’s what happens when you have a “Nanny State” and boof heads with nothing else better to do – thought Police!
Oddly enough the complaints came from owners of new front wheel drive four cylinder vehicles.
You’ve got to be kidding me!!! People have got to lighten up. There are so many things infinitely more worthy of people’s attention (terrorism, war, hunger, abortion) and someone’s worried about an advertisement for a car… Pardon me while I go and ponder how people can get so screwed up.
Abortion is worthy of peoples attention? We solved that issue almost 20 years ago and had it ruled constitutional.