Toyota Yaris Ad Gets Banned In Australia For Promoting ‘Unsafe Driving’
Image via Ormalternative / Shutterstock.com
Toyota Australia has been forced to take down its latest Yaris commercial as advertising regulators claim it is too “dangerous” to be aired on media channels.
The automaker launched the short a few months ago to promote its supermini together with its GR counterpart and the Yaris Cross.
The advertisement saw three siblings rushing over to their parents’ 30th anniversary party, with the man hopping into his Yaris GR to make it to the appointment on time.
Unfortunately, according to viewers’ complaints, rushing out of the garage and losing a little traction “promotes speeding” as they had sped to get to their parents’ place on time.
The advertisement also apparently violates several parts of the Federal Chamber for Automotive Industries (FCAI) Advertising Code, as it depicts breaking the speed limit and unsafe driving. According to road rules, “a driver must not drive a vehicle unless it has proper control of the vehicle.”
Car Expert reported that the Australia’s Advertising Standards Bureau has reviewed the commercial and its verdict was that it did not promote dangerous speeding. However, it did encourage “unsafe driving” due to the car’s “loss of traction” as it sped away from the farm shed.
“Despite the theme of being late to an event giving a sense of speed, there was no indication that any vehicle was exceeding the speed limit, including a lack of clear indication of what the speed limits on the roads depicted were,” ASA said. “Therefore, the panel dismissed concerns of the speed, but upheld the complaint due to the depiction of dangerous driving.”
[via B&T, cover image via Ormalternative / Shutterstock.com]
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