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NEWS
MINI Paceman: Advertising watchdog's each-way bet
Raising the middle finger is fine – with a smile – but don't try beating the boyfriend homeMINI has pulled the plug on a commercial for the Paceman following a determination by the Advertising Standards Bureau, the body appointed to assess advertising that may offend the public.
Early this month the ASB delivered its determination that the Paceman ad – aired only on pay TV, it seems – was in breach of standards set by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, which represents car manufacturers and importers in Australia. The automotive industry here relies on the ASB to arbitrate when a complaint is received about a car advertisement, but is self-regulating in the sense that the industry (through the FCAI) is governed by its own code.
In this case, the Paceman commercial portrays a young couple – possibly brother and sister, as MINI pointed out in defence of the ad. Each drives a MINI Paceman assertively along different streets in the hope of beating the other home. The ad concludes with the young bloke arriving home first and the girlfriend/sister pulling up not long after, and 'flipping the bird' at the boyfriend/brother.
According to the report issued by the ASB, at least two complaints were received, one focused primarily on what the complainant considered to be an obscene gesture shown in prime-time. His or her complaint was judged according to the regulation that applies to 'inappropriate language'.
Another complaint touched on the allegedly irresponsible driving displayed in the commercial – traditionally the factor most likely to get a car advertisement banned in Australia.
The ASB dismissed the inappropriate language complaint, but arrived at the conclusion the ad breached the FCAI's own code for Unsafe Driving and Breaking the Speed Limit.
It's notable that the ASB's case report contained no text lifted from the complaint concerning the driving style in the ad, focusing instead on the inappropriate language issue. Clearly taken from a much longer rant, the complainant's wording, reproduced in the report, is as follows:
This advertisement, with its centrepiece of cheerfully delivered obscenity, in a country which already has severe 'road-rage' issues, is deeply offensive, and represents a new low in advertising. Is this the kind of thing children should get to see when watching the national geographic channel in the middle of the day? Or any channel? Are the Australian public so thick as to resonate with this sort of thing? And, if so, why stop with mere gestures - why not have the woman actually scream some four letter obscenities at him? And then spit in his face, before throwing some faeces at him. Australia, you need to sharpen up your image - because having this sort of thing on the nations televisions does nothing for it. Les Patterson himself could not possibly have designed an advertisement more completely inane.
MINI subsequently responded to the unsafe driving complaint with the observation that: There is no reckless driving, no shots of the cars going head to head in any form of a street race, no shots of one car in pursuit of another, nor any close up shots of a speedometer reading and reference to any speed limits being exceeded.
The ASB was not convinced by this argument and ruled against MINI.
MINI also defended against the claim of inappropriate language, explaining that the gesture was not made with any malice intended, and the company also cited an earlier case (a billboard for the film 'Kath and Kimderella') as a precedent for exemption.
In response to this claim, it is clear that the female character in the TVC is giving her male partner 'the finger' in a light-hearted manner and has all been done in jest, as demonstrated by her smiling and laughing whilst giving 'the finger'. In no way was the female character giving the finger in any negative way or in a crude or crass manner as has been suggested by the person who made the complaint.
Other recent automotive cases adjudicated by the ASB make interesting reading. You can find out more by clicking on the links below.
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