Ford Mustang Advert Banned For Apparently Encouraging Dangerous Driving

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned Ford's Mustang cinema commercial following 12 complaints

Take a look at the video above. Seems fairly innocuous, doesn’t it? If you ask the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), however, and the 12 people who somehow found the time to complain about the cinema-aired advert, and you’ll be told it encourages using “driving as a way of relieving anger”. Erm, does it?

Ford’s response to the complaints was that the “intention was to contrast the everyday frustrations of work life with the freedom of driving a new Ford Mustang,” the ASA report states. The organisation disagreed, however, taking particular exception to the manner in which the Mustang was driven out of the car park nearer the end of the advert.

Ford Mustang Advert Banned For Apparently Encouraging Dangerous Driving

The ASA even had an issue with the recital of the famous Dylan Thomas poem ‘Do not go gentle into that goodnight’. Specifically, with the line “Rage. Rage, against the dying of the light”. The ASA said that parts of the poem “further reinforced that [releasing pent-up aggression while driving] by encouraging motorists to drive in an aggressive manner.”

The advert was deemed to have broken CAP (Committees of Advertising Practice) code 19.2, which states that “Marketing communications must not condone or encourage unsafe or irresponsible driving”. The advert can’t be shown again in its current form (although it is - at time of writing - still on YouTube), and Ford has been warned “that their advertising must not encourage unsafe driving.”

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Comments

SirJamjaxIsGoingAgain-PeaceOutChaps

What’s people’s problem? Why does little old John who drives a 1.0 Fiesta give a shit about a Mustang ad. John has no life.

10/25/2018 - 09:24 |
144 | 0
Archive Aston (Aston Martin squad)

Only 12 complaints took it down?! Then by that logic you could remove a whole car from manufacturer with enough complaints

10/25/2018 - 09:30 |
72 | 0

12 is nothing. A single complain once took down one of Honda’s ads a few years ago.

10/25/2018 - 09:57 |
32 | 0
⫷Mr N.F.S⫸

Dangerous driving my arse, it’s more about anger!

10/25/2018 - 09:31 |
10 | 0
Elliot.J99

Well that’s gay

10/25/2018 - 09:40 |
26 | 6

Dont use gay like that

10/25/2018 - 11:23 |
6 | 16
Anonymous

Bunch of babies

10/25/2018 - 09:48 |
5 | 0
5:19.55

Wait they barely drove and just started the engine.

10/25/2018 - 09:53 |
31 | 0
10/25/2018 - 17:08 |
15 | 0
Anonymous

How tragic does your life have to be to actually complain about an advert

10/25/2018 - 10:05 |
66 | 0
Skyline_Fanboi ( Apex05)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

You have to be over 80 and be pissed about everything that isn’t classy.

10/26/2018 - 09:33 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

What about F&F?

10/25/2018 - 10:18 |
1 | 1
Destroya

Meanwhile:

10/25/2018 - 10:21 |
30 | 0

O many companies would have their sports car advert banned.
Renault for example, teaches you that striking billboards will bring change in life.

10/25/2018 - 10:34 |
4 | 0

Have you seen the Pennzoil ads with the Ferrari and the Hellcat just straight up hooning around a city? I wonder why those didn’t get banned. People are weird lol

10/25/2018 - 21:22 |
9 | 0

Dodge is just badass. They have balls, unlike ford

10/25/2018 - 22:02 |
5 | 0
Vincent Lin

I remember reading somewhere that banning something already makes it more desirable.
Basically it may be banned, but people will begin to search for it, an even greater honor for an ad.

10/25/2018 - 10:26 |
16 | 0

The ban measure has to be known for it to work though

10/25/2018 - 17:09 |
1 | 0

Global mustang…a conspiracy by the globalists. ford did Alex Jones

10/25/2018 - 18:17 |
0 | 0
Joshua Persaud (Wagon/Estate Squad) (Sleeper Squad) I need a

In reply to by Vincent Lin

Look at the Dodge Demon. It got banned by the NHRA. Still desirable af!

10/26/2018 - 01:13 |
0 | 0