Just One Complaint Got This BMW M760Li Magazine Advert Banned

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has banned a magazine advert from BMW which allegedly made speed the "main message"
Just One Complaint Got This BMW M760Li Magazine Advert Banned

If you’re advertising a car in the UK, you have to play by some preposterously strict rules. Put pretty much any emphasis on speed, and your advert might get banned. All it takes is one complaint from someone with too much time on their hands.

For instance, Audi’s amazing “The Eye” TV advert was banished from UK TV screens last year after receiving a single complaint as it “linked speed with excitement,” and now, BMW has become the latest ‘victim’ of the Advertising Standards Authority’s merciless ban hammer. The ad in question was a print advert for the M760Li, which first appeared in Telegraph Magazine on 14 January.

The advert received only one complaint, from an individual who “challenged whether BMW had made speed the main message of the ad”. The ASA’s ruling goes on to state that the complainant “also noted that the Highway Code prohibited driving without reasonable consideration for other road users [does he want a gold star?],” and alleged the phrase “Luxury lost its manners” could be seen as condoning “irresponsible driving”.

In response, BMW said that it “had included the car specifications in the ad to inform consumers,” and claimed that the advert headline was a “subjective marketing term”. The Telegraph meanwhile said it didn’t think the advert focused on speed, and pointed out that 62mph is a lower figure than that of the UK’s motorway network.

Regardless, the ASA upheld the complaint, deciding the advert breached a rule that marketing material “must not condone or encourage unsafe or irresponsible driving”. The advert is now effectively banned, as it cannot appear again “in its current form.”

Comments

Anonymous

First the R8 and now the M760Li.

Where is this world going to ?

04/28/2017 - 10:10 |
16 | 0
NyteetyN

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Where is this Britain going to.

04/28/2017 - 10:14 |
15 | 1
Anonymous

What’s the point of his argument? Isn’t going fast supposed to be exciting?

04/28/2017 - 10:16 |
10 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Going fast should be terrifying experience because you are breaking the law you criminal! 😂

04/28/2017 - 10:29 |
5 | 1
Anonymous

This makes me sad.

04/28/2017 - 10:16 |
3 | 1
Anonymous

First Brexit, then the multiple problems that have been plaguing the country after brexit, and now this. The UK never runs out of reasons to make me leave the country.

04/28/2017 - 10:18 |
5 | 6
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

America has a bigger reason

04/28/2017 - 11:25 |
1 | 3
Joshua Lue

Cant I complain about the peroson complaining and get them removed?🤔

04/28/2017 - 10:19 |
41 | 0

Good idea!

04/28/2017 - 10:26 |
2 | 0

How do you remove a pers… Oh

04/28/2017 - 13:03 |
5 | 0
DL🏁

Dear ASA,

I am offended by the following promotional image of the Toyota Prius. As you can see, the blurred image of urban streets used as a background suggests that the car is travelling at a high speed. As the speed limit in urban areas in the UK is usually 30mph, the car is clearly breaking the speed limit.
Furthermore, the slogan that Toyota uses when promoting the Prius is ‘awaken your senses’ - I believe this hints that they encourage you to awaken your senses by travelling at excessive and dangerous speeds, for example, 32mph.
Finally, if you visit the official Toyota UK website you can find that they mention the top speed of the car, which is 102mph. This is higher than any speed limit in the UK. I believe that by mentioning this on their website, they encourage the drivers to drive their Priuses at 102mph.

Therefore I request ASA to ban all Toyota Prius advertisements. Also, to punish the manufacturer and to protect those who happen to see this car on a street from aesthetic shock, could you please ask the Government to ban the sales of this dangerous performance vehicle.

Sincerely.

04/28/2017 - 10:27 |
601 | 0

Pls for the love of god send this to them. Do it

04/28/2017 - 10:31 |
158 | 1

Send them this i beg you

04/28/2017 - 10:37 |
4 | 1

As an American, can I send this to them to?

04/28/2017 - 10:46 |
11 | 1

We need to all copy this message and send it to ASA. Like a letter writing canpaign.

#V12LivesMatter

04/28/2017 - 10:49 |
60 | 1
Anonymous

It is not like the reader wouldn’t know that these cars top speed is 3-4times the max speed anyways. I’d like to see the guy that thinks “oh this car is advertised for high speed it must be the only car that goes that fast”

04/28/2017 - 10:27 |
2 | 1
boss390

Great Britain is responsible for the Term ‘Made in Germany’. They put high tariffs on foreign cars, and wanted to use this sign as a warning that people still buy the British cars, which were a technical disaster in that time. And soon ‘Made in Germany’ turned out to be a quality sign. Well done ✅

04/28/2017 - 10:33 |
5 | 0
Anonymous

So the next step is… do like cigarretes and put warning messages but in the car… imagine the bmw with a white hood and black letters saying “Speed Kills”

04/28/2017 - 10:42 |
11 | 0
Fat Beckham

They also banned the Honda keep up advert for similar reasons after a similar amount of people complained. #jobsworths

04/28/2017 - 10:42 |
2 | 0

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