A NUMBER OF people have made the statement that it is not ok “to sing and dance while driving a car”.
This comes in relation to a recent advertisement for the Toyota Yaris in which different drivers and passengers are seen singing and dancing to Bruno Mars’ ‘Locked Out of Heaven’.
The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) has received a complaint from a concerned member of the public who felt the behaviour of the people in the car could make young drivers think that singing and dancing was appropriate behaviour while driving.
Another individual complained that the tagline “put the fun back in driving” was inappropriate as driving is a business that should be taken seriously.
Toyota responded to the complaints by saying that it holds “driver safety in the upmost regard”. The company also pointed out that the actions of those in the cars was not illegal and at no point did the drivers “remove their hands from the wheels of the cars.”
While the complaint was upheld, the ASAI acknowledged that it had not been the intention of the advertiser to condone unsafe driving. An edited version of the advertisement was accepted meaning no further action was required.
Men are not idiots
There was also a complaint received about a radio advertisement for the company King of Paws Dog Training Centre.
It was felt that a woman comparing her husband with a dog was “centered around discrimination on gender which was not permitted under Irish law.”
The advertiser responded to this by saying they would be discussing the matter at the next marketing planning meeting. They did however fail to make a further response to the Authority, something which has led to the complaint against them being upheld.
Other complaints
Another individual made a complaint to the Authority about advertising for Irish poker tournament ‘JP Pokermania’. There was confusing over the use of the term ‘freeze out’, which traditionally indicates that players are unable to re-enter a game once eliminated.
The complainant said that term had been used inaccurately in the advertising – something that the ASAI accepted. JP Pokermania said that it had changed its advertising to be clearer.
There was also a complaint made in relation to a veterinary employment website that left an advertisement up longer than it was meant to be posted for. It stated this was in reference to a technical problem on their website and that they were working to fix it.
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