• Cookies Policy
  • ASAI and Remote Working
  • Links
  • Publications
Ph: (01) 6137040 // Email: standards@asai.ie
linkedin
twitter
  • Welcome
  • Make a complaint
    • Advertisement or Promotion
    • Online Behavioural Avertising
  • About ASAI
  • Advertising & Self Regulation
  • ASAI Code
  • Complaints Bulletins
  • News

Motoring

June 09, 2020
by Seona Parker
Comments are off

Print This Post Print This Post
Bulletin: 20/3
Batch: 262
Reference: 35310
Product: Motoring
Advertiser: Renault Ireland
Influencer:
Agency:
Medium: Television
Codes:
ASAI Code 7th Edition: 2.4(c), 3.2, 3.3, 3.16, 3.20

  • Advertisement
  • Complaint
  • Response
  • Conclusion
  • The television advertisement opens with a Renault Zoe car’s charging outlet being closed
    and the car being started, showing the power range as 395km. The car is then shown being
    driven through what appears to be a city, stopping at a drive thru restaurant and then
    driving on an open country road. The car is then shown stopped at the side of a country
    road where the male driver gets out of the car. The driver is then shown standing in front
    of a tree as if they are urinating.

    The voiceover stated:
    “Introducing the new electric Renault Zoe. Europe’s best-selling electric vehicle since its
    launch. Now with an incredible range of 395km’s, and all from a single charge. Meaning
    you’ll have to stop before your Zoe does. The new Renault Zoe, electric for every day.”

    Text on screen states:
    “Model Shown: Renault Zoe GT Line RRP €31,990. Finance example: Renault Zoe Play
    ZE 50. RRP €26,990. T&C’s apply. See Renault.ie WLTP values for comparative
    purposes only, obtained using an electric vehicle battery.”

    “Real world figure may vary depending on different factors. To verify, contact
    bestselling@resault.ie”

    “New Renault Zoe. Electric for every day from €26,990.”

  • Thirteen complaints were received objecting to the advertising on the following grounds:

    Issue 1:
    Complainants considered that the image of the driver appearing to urinate in public was
    offensive.

    Issue 2:
    Complainants considered that the advertisement was normalising urinating in public,
    particularly to children and was subjecting children to unsuitable imagery.

  • The advertisers stated that they took their commitment to the ASAI Code extremely
    seriously and that it was never their intention to offend, mislead or confuse consumers.

    Issue 1 and 2
    In response to the complaints at Issue 1, the advertisers stated that the creative idea around
    the advertisement was that that the all-electric Renault ZOE had a fantastic new range of
    395km, meaning a driver could travel much further than expected from a single charge.
    They said that the voiceover states that because of the range on the ZOE, a driver may
    need to stop long before the ZOE does.

    The advertisers said that advertising often used humour and heightened reality to make a
    point, and they considered that this advertisement was no different. They said that in their
    case the advertisement, which has run in many countries, showed a couple of edits where people
    were having to stop long before the car needed to. In this advertisement, they had shown a man
    stopping his car miles from anywhere and that while a shot of him off in the distance beside a tree
    was shown, they said that nothing explicit was shown. They saidthat the advertisement was not
    intended as real life, but was intended as simply a tongue in cheek look at a situation where with
    such a good mileage range, a driver might find themselves miles from an opportunity to stop where
    they would have wished to stop.

    They said that there was never any intention to promote any undesirable behaviour, rather
    the intention was for consumers to purchase a more environmentally friendly product with
    an improved range.

  • Complaint Upheld In Part.

    The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaints and the advertisers’
    response.

    Issue 1: Upheld:
    The Complaints Committee noted that the advertisement had given rise to thirteen
    complaints. The Committee noted that the advertisers’ intention had been to portray a
    tongue in cheek scenario illustrating the car’s battery range. They considered however
    that such behaviour, urinating in public, was not behaviour that Irish society considered to be acceptable. In the circumstances the Committee considered that the advertisement was
    in breach of Sections 3.3 and 3.20 of the Code.

    Issue 2: Upheld in Part:
    The Complaints Committee noted that some complainants considered the advertisement
    was subjecting children to unsuitable imagery and was normalising the behaviour of
    urinating in public to children. The Committee noted that no explicit content had been
    portrayed in the advertisement and that the driver was seen fully clothed, standing in
    front of a tree. While the Committee noted the concerns raised, they did not consider
    that the image of a man standing in front of a tree, fully clothed was explicit. The
    Committee did, however, consider that, by showing the behaviour, viewers of the
    advertisement, particularly children, could consider that it was acceptable to urinate in
    public. In the circumstances the Committee considered that the advertisement was in
    breach of 3.3 of the Code.

    Action Required:
    The advertisement must not reappear in its current form.

Social Share

    Complaints Bulletins

    • Complaints Bulletins
      • 22/4
      • 22/3
      • 22/2
      • 22/1
      • 21/5
      • 21/4
      • 21/3
      • 21/2
      • 21/1
      • 20/6
      • 20/5
      • 20/4
      • 20/3
      • 20/2
      • 20/1
      • 19/6
      • 19/5
      • 19/4
      • 19/3
      • 19/2
      • 19/1
      • 18/5
      • 18/4
      • 18/3
      • 18/2
      • 18/1
      • 17/5
      • 17/4
      • 17/3
      • 17/2
      • 17/1
      • 16/7
      • 16/6
      • 16/5
      • 16/4
      • 16/3
      • 16/2
      • 16/1
      • 15/6
      • 15/5
      • 15/4
      • 15/3
      • 15/2
      • 15/1
      • 14/8
      • 14/7
      • 14/6
      • 14/5

    Search:


    Filter by:

    Reset

    ©ASAI 2021 // 7 Herbert Street, Dublin 2, D02 K838 // Ph: (01) 6137040
    website by smudge design
    /* ----------------------------------------- */ /* Content Template: Complaint_Content_Type - start */ /* ----------------------------------------- */ /* ----------------------------------------- */ /* Content Template: Complaint_Content_Type - end */ /* ----------------------------------------- */
    This website uses cookies to improve your browsing and interactive experience. If you are happy to proceed with this, please click Accept

    If you wish read more about our cookie policy please Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT