Britain's Independent Television Commission (ITC) is upholding viewer
complaints against car commercials for the Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Polo and the Ford Fiesta.
The watchdog requires that car ads do not condone irresponsible driving. The Volkswagen Polo advertisement, which drew complaints regarding its use of violence and human suffering, showed scenes of a fallen jockey in danger from other horses, a fugitive trying to shield himself from snarling police dogs, and a cornered boxer and firemen ducking to avoid a ball of flame.
The ITC said the ad should be aired only after 9 p.m. The ITC found the VW Passat ad harmful and said it featured driving that on a public road "would have been aggressive, irresponsible and too fast for the situations shown." It ordered that the ad no longer be broadcast.
The ITC also required a cease for the Ford Fiesta ad, which showed a baby aging to become an elderly man in 10 seconds and had a caption that read, "The Fiesta 1.4 does 0-60 in 10.8 seconds." ITC said the ads should not be based on speed, power or acceleration claims.
I wonder what the Brits would make of our TAC ads and Anti-Smoking campaigns? According to their rules, the ads could only be shown after 9pm.
