Dealership cops ad ban
A car dealership has been ordered to remove a “funny car review” promoting its brand online, following an investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
A complaint made about the Portage Cars’ campaign said a video it posted on social media featured sexual innuendo and was inappropriate for the general audience it was promoted to.
The person who took exception to the promotion was also concerned the clip makes an unsubstantiated claim that Portage Cars has the “easiest finance in the world”.
The video in question is fronted by Kiedis Haze, a content producer on Instagram and TikTok, in the style of a car salesman presenting a comedy-style sales pitch for a Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
“You’ll look like a MILF driving it,” is one phrase in the clip before Haze, pictured, adds the vehicle has a “plug which matches the inserting action you’ve been getting”.
Portage Cars, which has nine branches nationwide, told the ASA in a submission the video is not an advertisement, “but rather a funny car review that generates social media and brand awareness”.
“Our social media has stated in the past that our content is made for audiences over the age of 18 and thus, the content is suitable for the ‘general audience in which it is promoted to’, the company adds.
“It is clear that our videos are light-hearted jokes and are not meant to be taken seriously.
“Clearly the saying ‘easiest finance in the world’ was said in jest, saying something is the easiest in the world is a common turn of phrase in New Zealand.”
Portage Cars says the video was “extremely well received” and has racked up thousands of likes and views across TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
It adds the complainant “has taken a light-hearted, satirical car review seriously without understanding the New Zealand sense of humour”.
In its decision, the ASA’s complaints board upheld the complaint about the finance claims and says the advertisement was misleading under the Financial Advertising Code.
However, it adds the video did not reach the offence threshold and the part of the complaint under the Advertising Standards Code was not upheld.
As a result, it notes the advertisement “is to be removed and not used again in its current form”.
