Ad regulatory body, ASA, penalizes BMW for allegedly deceptive marketing of i3 model in their adverts
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the UK's regulatory body for advertisements, has taken a firm stance against car advertisements, banning a total of six adverts due to various concerns.
The ASA's decisions, based on complaints received from the public, have been met with criticism for being too strict. Some argue that the authority's actions are condescending towards consumers, potentially wasting time scrutinizing adverts.
One of the banned adverts was for the BMW xDrive, which was accused of promoting dangerous driving. The ASA's concerns were echoed in another ban for the BMW 760iL xDrive, which was criticised for encouraging and condoning reckless driving.
Another BMW model, the i3, was the subject of a ban due to misleading emissions claims. The complaint against the commercial was filed by environmental group Greenpeace. The advertisement stated that the i3 is a "clean car" with zero emissions, but not all i3s are electric vehicles.
The ASA also banned an advert for the Toyota Hilux, as it was shown driving across a river without regard for environmental impact.
The ASA's actions extend beyond just car advertisements. They have banned adverts that appeared in various media, including Facebook, The Telegraph Magazine, and possibly others.
The ASA's role is to regulate advertisements in the UK and has the power to ban misleading or harmful advertisements. In addition to car advertisements, the ASA has previously banned an advertisement for Jaguar due to safety concerns, after two people complained.
The ASA's decisions serve as a reminder for advertisers to ensure their advertisements are truthful, accurate, and do not promote dangerous or harmful behaviour. As the public continues to voice their concerns, the ASA will likely continue to scrutinise advertisements carefully.
However, the question remains as to whether the proper complaint level for an advert should be as low as it currently is, or if there should be a higher threshold for complaints to be considered. This is a debate that continues to unfold as the ASA strives to maintain a balance between consumer protection and freedom of speech.
