Deze BMW-reclame is zo gevaarlijk dat-ie in Groot-Brittannië is verboden

Oei! De Britse Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) heeft BMW's reclame voor de 760Li xDrive verboten. BMW zou namelijk snelheid en onverantwoord rijgedrag promoten. Oordeelt u zelf.

Voor wie moeite heeft met de kleine lettertjes: "Introducing the BMW M760Li xDrive. M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology. 6.6 litre V12. 610 hp. 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds. For some, the climb to the top is quicker." Lekkere power, grote getallen, klinkende namen en een ondertoon van chauvinisme. Niks mis mee.

Jawel dus. Omdat Groot-Brittannië ook al zo'n gaaf land is waar mensen 'respectvol en verbindend' met elkaar moeten omgaan, is op deze manier verwijzen naar snelheid en acceleratie verboden. Plezier is namelijk kankerverwekkend.

Voorts vindt de ASA dat de advertentie aso's in de hand werkt. Dat zou komen door het clichéstukje over 'climb to the top' en de koeienletters over verloren zeden. Dat mag natuurlijk ook niet, want iedereen is gelijk en samen zullen we eerlijk alles delen. Net een tikje harder lopen is asociaal.

We zien al waar het mis is gegaan.

One reader challenged whether the automaker had made speed the main message of its ad. The same individual also noted that the Highway Code prohibited driving without reasonable consideration for other road users, therefore contesting whether the tagline 'Luxury just lost its manners' gave the green light for irresponsible driving.

BMW argued that its target audience for the campaign was ambitious “high-net-worth” business leaders and that the copy 'for some, the climb to the top is quicker' was not a reference to speed but to their audience reaching the top of their career ladder. The Telegraph did not believe the ad focused on speed, highlighting that 62mph was below the UK motorway speed limit.

In reference to the complaint around irresponsible driving BMW said the strapline of the ad was "an example of advertising puffery" that did not conflict with the CAP Code.

The regulator disagreed on both counts, banning the ad on the grounds that the cumulative effect of the claim 'Luxury just lost its manners', the vehicle’s acceleration and power statistics, and the assertion that 'for some, the climb to the top is quicker' made speed and acceleration the main message of the ad.

The watchdog also said, because of the car's power, readers would understand the tagline to mean drivers did not have to have regard for, or show manners to, other road users by, for instance, driving aggressively.

"We therefore concluded that the ad had condoned irresponsible driving by advocating driving without consideration for other road users," said the ASA, warning BMW to ensure that their ads did not condone or encourage driving without consideration for other road users.