Monday, August 19, 2019

BMW Commercial Pulled Because One Person Complained

The cars in the ad were going kind of fast... gasp.

BMW wanted to create an advertisement that would help show off its xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Of course, the best way to show this type of system in use is to create a commercial with cars driving through inclement weather such as rain and snow. Unfortunately, the ad BMW came up with called "Get Out There," was deemed too extreme for UK television according to Hugo Griffiths of Auto Express. The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad “condoned faster, dangerous and irresponsible driving," so it was taken off the air.

We watched the advertisement, and it seems hard to believe that the ad was condoning speeding. In fact, it seems like the cars in the ad were all driving at a reasonable speed, but the camera angles made them look faster.

BMW argued that all of the cars were driven in a safe, responsible manner, but the ASA said the X5 demonstrated “a slight reduction in traction." The UK has strict laws for car advertisements that have famously banned ads in the past, including ones from BMW. Ads in the UK must not show “dangerous, competitive, inconsiderate or irresponsible driving” and “must not demonstrate power, acceleration or handling characteristics except in a clear context of safety." Out of the 9.3 million people who were estimated to have seen the ad, just a single complaint was enough to ban it. We feel sorry for BMW, who spent all of that money just to have one person turn it into a waste.

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