MG told to scrap ad campaign.

[touringlegend]

MG Rover
The successful MG advertising campaign, promoted in newspapers, magazines and on poster sites throughout the UK since July, has been suspended following an ASA ruling. The distinctive 'Full Fat, High Caffeine and Maximum Strength' ads promote the new MG ZR, MG ZS and MG ZT, but a complaint from an individual has been upheld.

The complainant felt that the abstract background, bold headline and 'Life's too short not to' strap line conveyed 'a car travelling fast, objected that they placed an undue emphasis on speed and encouraged irresponsible driving'.

John Sanders, Group Marketing Director, MG Rover, said: "We are very disappointed with this conclusion. The ads have been very popular since July, resulting in tremendous interest in the exciting and dynamic new MGs, but the reaction of an individual has changed all that.

"We make no apology for the fact that the new MG range is faithful to the MG tradition of producing genuine sports cars. Communicating the performance characteristics inherent within any MG means an inevitable dynamic association, with the excitement that comes from driving these cars.

"The MG brand is dynamic, exciting and for individuals who like to 'live life to the full'. The advertising campaign does not talk about speed; it is designed to appeal to people who like the freedom to make their own choices and not be dictated to by the current obsession with denying oneself the pleasures of life."


Much of the ruling concerns the blurred background and spinning wheels - a technique used widely by all manufacturers to illustrate motion. The imagery of the car was intentionally pin-sharp and placed on a none-real-life background, to reduce the importance on speed.

It is unfortunate that one single individual has taken offence to our approach, particularly as it seems that the general public's response to our MG launch has been overwhelmingly positive. Interest in the cars has been unprecedented, with thousands of orders being taken.

MG Rover will be discussing the matter with the ASA to try and understand better the basis of their judgement. It has never been our intention to encourage the use of speed in inappropriate circumstances or conditions, and this is reflected in the fact that only one complaint has been received.

I would like to know who that one very, very sad person is!! Somebody that has nothing worthy to do with their time, methinks.
I quite liked those adverts, they actually were not bad considering what past ads from Rover were like.

[Craig]

What a load of ********!

As one person who has requested a brochure and test drive, they certainly did do their job...

[3-Series]

Political correctness rules (if that's alright with everyone)!

[fast95pony]

A car maker with a proud tradition comes up with an exciting ad campaign to help boost sales and it gets cancelled because of ONE person ??

No wonder the Human Race is in sad shape


Alan

[Carrie]

How ridiculous can you get I suppose though it's just in line with the rest of the anti-car policies which seem to rule in this country.
Didn't Jag come unstuck recently as well with an ad that showed too much speed?

[elephino]

Sounds like a good ad campaign. Well thought out and planned. Just a shame about the one person.

Which is ridiculous. The Advertising Standards Board in Australia usually don't cancel ad campaigns off one complaint.

Proof of this is the latest Holden Commodore VX Series II ads. It shows a father coming home and finding toys all over the driveway. It then shows him picking them up and then shows the toys all lined up along the driveway. He then runs a slalom (much to the embarassment of the child, indoors) into the garage and stops a stop watch. It's a clever campaign if a little impossible in the driveway shown. Now some people have complained about the ad saying it promotes dangerous driving, speeding and also endangering children. But Holden countered successfully by saying that it is on private property, the driveway shows it cannot involve speeding and the child is only every shown indoors, enforced by showing the window frame and room behind.

It seems that the manufacturer has no say over there as to what their own campaign means.

[touringlegend]

I like this comment from John Sanders: "The MG brand is dynamic, exciting and for individuals who like to 'live life to the full'."

You tell 'em John! MR or MRS ANONYMOUS - GET A LIFE!!

[Carrie]

Originally posted by elephino
Which is ridiculous. The Advertising Standards Board in Australia usually don't cancel ad campaigns off one complaint.

Well, until this, I didn't think our Advertising Standards Board could ban an advert on the basis of a single complaint.

[TimD]

I'm quite certain that the individual in question would have every car on the market abolished except for grey Daewoo Nexias.

For the MG advert, well, I have to say that I was in a cinema last week, with a very non-car oriented friend, and the "High Caffeine" commercial was shown. I distinctly heard her chuckle during the ad, and then afterwards asked "So, are those as good as they look then?"

And I think that's probably the mark of a good campaign.

I always thought the machinations of the ASA were in public domain, which suggests that the individual would have their name on record. This reminds me of the motorist who complained that they were overtaken one time in the Mersey Tunnel by Stirling Moss, and reported him for reckless driving to the Tunnel Police. Motor Sport magazine was sufficiently miffed to print a report of the ensuing magistrates hearing, making sure that they reported the name of the witness, his address and his telephone number.....