The Twix adverts have been banned for encouraging dangerous driving after viewers complained they were irresponsible – but Mars Wrigley said they were set in a ‘fantasy world’
A series of adverts for chocolate bar Twix has been banned over fears they encouraged unsafe driving.
The TV and similar video-on-demand ads showed a man in a car chase which resulted in his vehicle and an identical, caramel-coloured car sandwiched on top of each other, like a Twix. Five viewers complained the ads encouraged dangerous driving and were irresponsible. Mars Wrigley, which owns the Twix brand, told the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) the ad had a “cinematic presentation” and was set in a “world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality”.
It said Twix is known for its playful and absurd tone, and the humour in the ad reflected this.
However, the ASA said: “We considered the emphasis on a chase, and the speed inherent to that, and the driving manoeuvres featured would be dangerous and irresponsible if emulated in real life on a public highway.
“Because we considered the driving depicted in the ads condoned unsafe driving that appeared likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code, we concluded the ads were irresponsible.”
The ASA ruled the ads must not appear again in their current form, adding: “We told Mars Wrigley not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads.”
A Mars Wrigley UK spokeswoman said: “We always take pride in maintaining high standards across all our communications and every advert we produce is submitted for approval through the appropriate review channels.
“In our view, this particular advert adopts a fantastical tone that is neither realistic nor intended to be imitated.
“Nonetheless, we take our responsibility as an advertiser seriously and never intended to cause any offence or concern, so we are reviewing the ruling carefully in order to work collaboratively towards a resolution.”
Kate Price advert also banned
In a separate ASA ruling, an advert for fashion label Diesel featuring model Katie Price has been banned after being deemed irresponsible and likely to cause serious offence due to its objectification and sexualisation of women.
The ad, which was shown on the Guardian’s website on March 26, depicted Price donned in a bikini, clutching a handbag to her chest.
But the ASA received 13 complaints saying that the ad objectified and sexualised women, and also featured a model who appeared unhealthily thin.
The watchdog upheld the complaints because of the positioning of the handbag had the effect of “emphasising and drawing attention to her breasts”, meaning the ad “sexualised her in a way that objectified her.”
Diesel defended the ad as part of their ‘The Houseguests’ campaign, which they say was aimed at challenging stereotypes by representing a broad range of body types.
