Why are modern car adverts so tame & soulless?

rypt · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:06

Seriously, why is there no passion about how well the car performs ... they don't show some hard acceleration, hard cornering, a nice B road blast with tyre squeal, etc.

Things are either bland, or do they something stupid like that old hide and seek advert

Dup · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:09

rypt said:
Seriously, why is there no passion about how well the car performs ... they don't show some hard acceleration, hard cornering, a nice B road blast with tyre squeal, etc.

Things are either bland, or do they something stupid like that old hide and seek advert

Quite simply, they're not allowed. Hence why BMW responded with their BMW film site when they sanctioned it was not OK in the UK to show any real hooning.

The sites long gone, but just put "BMW The Hire" in youtube

Lum · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:09

Because if the advert seems to be encouraging speeding, the think of the children brigade complain to the ASA who make them pull the advert.

Shame no-one complains when adverts show people driving around with their foglights on during the day.

Saytan · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:16

most people dont care about that stuff...

rypt · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:16

I've seen "The Hire" stuff, now that was some proper car adverts.

As for them not being allowed, show me where it says that within any of the ASA guidelines or rulings?
If the car companies put a little bit of text "the actions here were filmed on a closed road and are not to be performed on open roads" then they are fine surely.

IAmATeaf · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:36

Didn't some recent Fords advert have cars hooning about but then PC'ed themselves to within an inch of correctness by ending with the car actually being stationary on some sort of rig?

Tute · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:42

I'm sure this was covered in TG when Clarkson and May tried to make a Scirocco advert with speed, tyres squealing, redlining etc.

The advertising team at VW refused it on the grounds that "you can't show that".

Lum said:
Because if the advert seems to be encouraging speeding, the think of the children brigade complain to the ASA who make them pull the advert.

Yet we're allowed adverts on global warming, telling us we're doing to die if we don't "OMG THINK OF TEH CARBONZ" and associated unproven dross. :rolleyes:

rpstewart · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:43

rypt said:
As for them not being allowed, show me where it says that within any of the ASA guidelines or rulings?

Rules as defined by the advertising industry themselves, the ASA works to those codes.

http://www.cap.org.uk/The-Codes/BCAP-Code/BCAP-Code-Item.aspx?q=Test_Specific%20Category%20Sections_20%20Motoring_Rules_Rules%20for%20all%20advertisements#c705

http://www.cap.org.uk/The-Codes/BCAP-Code/BCAP-Code-Item.aspx?q=Test_Specific+Category+Sections_20+Motoring_Rules_Rules+for+all+advertisements_Rules+for+motoring+advertisements#c707

MeAnBoY · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:46

Can't they show all the good stuff and have it on the track? Hell even add a disclaimer at the end of the advert! :rolleyes:

rypt · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:47

rpstewart said:
Rules as defined by the advertising industry themselves, the ASA works to those codes.

CAP are self-regulations and are not legal laws

Janesy B · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:50

rypt said:
CAP are self-regulations and are not legal laws

They still have the power to have adverts pulled?

jaykay · 16 Dec 2010 at 15:51

Funny american car advert. No america you didnt get cars right!!

rypt · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:01

Janesy B said:
They still have the power to have adverts pulled?

ASA only has power because OFCOM gave it such power, and while ASA do use CAP regulations within their enforcement no-one has ever challenged this and the OFCOM relationship in court afaik

Cosimo · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:05

rypt said:
Seriously, why is there no passion about how well the car performs ... they don't show some hard acceleration, hard cornering, a nice B road blast with tyre squeal, etc.

Because people don't drive like that.

rypt · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:08

simulatorman said:
Because people don't drive like that.

I beg to differ!

Ingleberry · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:41

Its all down to liability and public perception of the brand, everyone’s so scared of offending each other the ads have become lame and soulless as their audience, quite fitting really.

Dogbreath · 16 Dec 2010 at 16:57

Why are modern car adverts so tame & soulless?

It matches the cars in most cases.

HamZilla · 16 Dec 2010 at 17:16

The worst ones are where they just show a static picture of the car, VW Polo I'm looking at you. Only good thing in it is the music.

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2010 at 17:19

rypt said:
As for them not being allowed, show me where it says that within any of the ASA guidelines or rulings?

Go and find it yourself - its there, people are not lying to you, you do not know best.

You are not allowed to screen car adverts which are shown to encourage or glorify speeding.

Jonnycoupe · 16 Dec 2010 at 17:24

This Rypt guy is classic.

His own threads are rhetorical.