Jaguar has found itself guilty as charged by the ad watchdog for promoting irresponsible driving in an online interactive ad, even though the company insisted police were present during the shoot.
The Art of Villainy spot is one of a series of films under the marque’s #GoodToBeBad campaign, which first aired at this year’s US SuperBowl.
Featuring Thor star Tom Hiddleston playing a suave crook, the character talks about the factors that make a good villain. It opens with a passage of “This Sceptred Isle” from Shakespeare’s Richard III, and shows Hiddleston sitting, brooding in the car. He then turns to the camera and says: “They say Brits play the best villains…. but what makes a great villain?”.
Various cut scenes follow, including him picking up a holdall – supposedly stashed full of stolen loot – while showcasing the design, styling and performance of the model. Hiddleston then makes his getaway by accelerating out of the car park and along the Embankment in London.
But one viewer took exception to the ad, claiming it featured and encouraged unsafe driving, and challenged whether it was socially irresponsible. This sparked an investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority.
In its defence Jaguar Land Rover claimed that although no specific speed was shown, the police were present during filming and the speed limit was not exceeded. It believed the brief moment of acceleration that was shown was not excessive and was not the main message of the ad.
But the ASA ruled that, although brief, the second part of the ad suggested the car was being driven at excessive speeds and therefore encouraged irresponsible driving. It added that the ad gave the overall impression of a car driving at excessive speeds on a public road.
Banning the commercial, the ASA warned Jaguar Land Rover not to portray speed or driving behaviour that might encourage motorists to drive irresponsibly in the future.
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Jaguar villain ad is banged to rights http://t.co/DsfTCnNLti #digitalmarketing #directmarketing #advertising