Supercheap Auto reworks TV ad after Ad Standards breach

Ashley Regan
By Ashley Regan | 10 September 2024
 
Credit: Oscar Sutton via Unsplash

Automotive parts and accessories retailer Supercheap Auto's TV ad has been reworked after a breach of the advertising code.

The pay TV advertisement features vehicles with different oil brand sponsorship lined up waiting to enter a holiday park.

When the barrier is opened, the cars take off into the holiday park, drifting around corners. One car jumps over two of the others, and another one is shown airborne crashing through a billboard.

The complaint submitted to Ad Standards raised concerns of encouraging dangerous driving.

"The ad clearly shows cars doing burnouts on a bitumen road that is not obviously off road or in a public area. It shows burnouts with trailers, caravans in tow, off country roads and among people, around people in tents and caravans," the complaint stated.

"The ad appears to be in breach of standards - again - for this company."

Supercheap Auto ad

Supercheap Auto ad via Ad Standards.

Supercheap did receive pre-approval for both Australia and New Zealand from the independent body responsible for classifying advertisements CAD (Clear Ads) prior to making this advertisement.

The brand refuted the breach as the vehicles used are 'clearly' professional race cars with race-car liveries, no number plates, and highly controlled safety measures, such as roll cages.

"They are not road-legal vehicles and are clearly intended for racetracks, not public roads," Supercheap stated.

"While they only pretend to do the driving in the commercial, they are still wearing helmets and motor racing harnesses to reinforce the importance of safety and to once again ensure the holiday park scenario is clearly fictionalised.

"This is obviously a nonsensical, comedic thing for high-performance race vehicles to do."

The ad also carries the text: Filmed under controlled conditions with professional drivers.

However, the Ad Standards Panel found that the realistic setting for the advertisement and was not fantastical or fictionalised.

"The vehicles were not performing stunts in a closed-off venue or automotive show, and instead were driving through a realistic location - a holiday park," the Panel stated.

"The driving behaviour depicted in the advertisement was very dangerous and if it were to take place in a real holiday park could well result in injury or death."

As a result, the ad was found to breach AANA Code of Ethics\2.6 Health and Safety.

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