Car Manufacturers

eternal_headwind · June 2007

No doubt everyone has notice that car manufacturers never advertise their products stuck in a jam or behind a set of temporary traffic lights or anything of that sort.
Never is a car seen braking at the last minute in front of a safety/speed camera. Or seen being wheel clamped.
How many adverts feature a motorists desparately trying to find a parking space?

Nope, All whizzing along without a care in the world. Pratically no need to install the brake pedal on their cars.

Now the honest truth. I have some points on my driving license. Ironically I was trying to get to the start of a cycling event on time.

How many of you have experienced such a penalty? Or worse, how many of you have experienced tragedy?

We hear of the CTC reacting to threats against cyclists and they do a marvellous job, but perhaps the time has come to be proactive.

How many of you, like myself, would donate to a legal fund to try and bring manufacturers to account?

There are some silly lawsuits out there, but perhaps blaming manufacturers for filling people's consciousness with 'free and fast' driving imagery is anything but silly.

Maybe the day will then come when motor vehicle adverts would bear a health warning.

This is intended as a means of putting pressure on the car industry, though I suspect this thread may quickly wander...

Unknown · June 2007

mercadies have occasionally shown thier cars after a crash to show safety of it

guess that gives a false feeling of safety.

Anonymous · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">mercadies have occasionally shown thier cars after a crash <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
like the one Diana and Dodi were in[xx(]

Non Omnis Moriar

Cretin · June 2007

I'm going to sue Specialized for not telling me that falling sideways off my bike onto dirt track is really painful. I think they should also compensate me for not advertising images of car passengers spitting at me, out the window, as they pass me. Its a disgrace.

rothbook · June 2007

You gonna apologise for your lies about the families of the dead cyclists killed in Wales cretin?

snorri · June 2007

You could complain to the Advertising Standards Agency every time you see what you consider to be a misleading advertisement, but the car industry has a stock of ready answers to complaints. For example, "we were making a humorous point", or "the vehicle in the picture was obviously stationary".
You would also have to campaign to give the ASA stronger powers!
http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by NumbNuts

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">mercadies have occasionally shown thier cars after a crash <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
like the one Diana and Dodi were in[xx(]

Non Omnis Moriar
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

ironically, older than that.

Unknown · June 2007

I bet Skodas aren't really made of cake.

I've just been reminded of that film from the '80's 'Crazy People' (or similar) one of Dudley Moore's if memory serves me. About a bunch of crazies who develop advertising campiagns based on honesty. The Volvo advert they made had a tag line "Volvo, they're boxy, but safe".

Sorry, slight tangent there.

eternal_headwind · June 2007

Every single post has been a tangent, so don't worry Peyote.

Archcp · June 2007

Would I donate to such a fund? No. Adverts are nearly all, to a greater or lesser extent, myths. There was a whole thread about it in Cake Stop a little while back. If I buy Tampax, it doesn't suddenly make me able to rollerskate, and Herbal Essences Shampoo doesn't actually give you an orgasm in the shower (well, it hasn't worked for me, anyway, maybe I'm doing it wrong...) I don't believe that many people, even in our current society, populated so much by thickos, buys a certain car because they think it'll allow them to drive through the Alps at speed, (or over them, in the case of that Tranforming Nissan). The whole point of an advert is to provide an aspirational image. I'm fairly sure that car adverts have always shown their products in an slightly unrealistic light - think of jolly families, packing all their luggage and the kids and the dog into a 60's Mini for a jolly holiday by the sea. I bet people got hot and irritable and snappy, but you didn't see that. What seems to have changed, as far as I can see is that there are just way more cars on the road, and more of them are driven by impatient and/or incompetant twerps - and I don't think the manufacturers are solely responsible for that. Yes, they sell the cars, but it's fashion and way society has evolved to make a car 'essential' that's done it.

I suppose one can say that the increased 'safety' of modern cars has led to drivers becoming too insulated and blase. Are you going to sue the manufacturers for inventing airbags?

BTW, if Skodas really were made of cake, I'd have one. But not for long...[:p] Still, it would be easy to get parts at the local bakers...[;)]

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Canrider · June 2007

I'm reliably informed that if I buy a Cannondale, my legs will become toned and lose their hair...or does C-dale just send someone over to give you a shave?
http://www.cannondale.com/downloads/caad9_wp_800x600.jpg

"We will never win until the oil runs out or they invent hover cars - but then they may land on us." -- lardarse rider

eternal_headwind · June 2007

Why is tabacco advetising restricted then?

Archcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Eternal_headwind

Why is tabacco advetising restricted then?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Um, because tobacco has no purpose other than to satisfy a craving, and is pretty much agreed to be bad for everyone who uses it and many of those around them. Yes, you could say the same about cars, but it is possible to use a car responsibly and safely at no risk to oneself or others, and they are sometimes useful...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

eternal_headwind · June 2007

They are indeed useful at times, but how often has someone you know gone for a drive out of boredom? And if practicality were the issue why do firms exist to sell huge alloy wheels (mainly for elderly hatchbacks), spoliers on the back and stickers saying 'no fear'?

Would you say there was no merit in separating the purpose of driving a car from the perception of driving a car? The latter might just as easily be considered an addiction as tabacco.

Archcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Eternal_headwind

They are indeed useful at times, but how often has someone you know gone for a drive out of boredom? And if practicality were the issue why do firms exist to sell huge alloy wheels (mainly for elderly hatchbacks), spoliers on the back and stickers saying 'no fear'?

Would you say there was no merit in separating the purpose of driving a car from the perception of driving a car? The latter might just as easily be considered an addiction as tabacco.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes, it might. I like driving very much, and if I had the money and space to park it, I'd have a car and probably use it for pleasure as much for utility. I'm not responsible for advertising policy. I wouldn't be that bothered about tobacco being advertised, as it was for many years - if people want to smoke let 'em. If you can advertise alcohol, why not tobacco? As far as I'm concerned, if people get suckered into buying something through adverts, that's up to them.

Most tobacco adverts that I remember were, in fact, nothing to do with smoking per se, or even in the differing qualities of the various brands (or encouraging people to take it up), and all to do with getting a brand stuck in the head of people who were already smokers (Silk Cut and B and H and Hamlet stick my mind, and I've never been a smoker) Car ads are the same. Some are saying "Hey, this car holds a lot of stuff", but most are just drilling the brand names into the brains of prospective buyers. Force them to advertise on purely practical terms, and they'll just find a way to do the same within those terms...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Jaded · June 2007

Silk Cut adverts, anyone?

--
[Warning] This post may contain a baby elephant or traces of one

Archcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jaded

Silk Cut adverts, anyone?

--
[Warning] This post may contain a baby elephant or traces of one
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Purple silk, slashed or cut in some imaginative or artistic way - with scissors, or a sword, or I think there was one with a shark bite out of it? And I remember a B and H one, with the corner of a packet photoshopped at an angle into a view of the pyramids, so that it looked like another pyramid...

I think, but may be wrong, that cigarette ads were one of the first ones to be enigmatic - ie not just a "Buy this it's best" kind of thing. Perhaps in order to get round the idea that smoking was bad for you, once that became understood...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Mosschops2 · June 2007

Or B&H.

As I recall the only way to tell an advert was for B & H was simply that you couldn't tell what the advert was supposed to be for!!!

Have you ever tried pressing Alt+F4 ??

eternal_headwind · June 2007

Perhaps by regulating advertising, you can regulate perception of acceptable use.

After all, every little helps...

Unknown · June 2007

SWMBO has complained about a couple of adverts on TV (to ITC). On one occasion, she got the 'it's humorous/cartoony' type answer (it was an ad for a war/fighting vid game - shown before 9:00) and on the other occasion got a 'complaint upheld' company have been instructed to cease & desist type answer

(can't remember what that was for though).

Cretin · June 2007

I'd rather regulate against advertising that makes men look like 'fat bumbling buffoons useless at DIY' whereas the woman of the family has an 'IQ of 160, the body of a model, 3 children and meal on the table in a spotless modern house'.

I think all adverts should be in northern 2 up 2 down terraces with chip fat on the kitchen ceiling.

eternal_headwind · June 2007

Alright, that is a spectrum of opinions about the effects of advertising. How do we feel about the motor industry and it's attitude towards social responsibility?

Cretin · June 2007

A bit unfair to assume the entire motor industry has the same attitude. Personally I'm unhappy with the constant push to make cars safer. The 'spike on the steering wheel' quote is pretty accurate.

eternal_headwind · June 2007

Do you have any examples of good behaviour by the motor industry then? I understand vauxhall were thinking og installing a bike rack on their new corsas automatically...

Cretin · June 2007

Volvo have an excellent reputation for encouraging safety, I believe they investigate all serious accidents involving a Volvo within a certain radius of their factory.

Land Rover have an outstanding record for the average lifetime of their vehicles, saving materials and energy on building new models.

Mercedes are at the forefront of vehicle technology - look at a modern S-class and you can expect to see all the options available as standard on a cheap car 10 years later.

There are more, it just takes time to think. Which probably isn't a good thing.

Archcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Eternal_headwind

Do you have any examples of good behaviour by the motor industry then? I understand vauxhall were thinking og installing a bike rack on their new corsas automatically...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Is that good? I mean, it might be handy for people like us, but encouraging people to bung their bikes on a car to drive them somewhere to ride them hardly tackles congestion or road safey. I suppose if it encouraged people to make mixed-media journeys (take the car to the edge of town, cycle in, reduces need for central car parking), that would be a benefit, but how many ordinary people is that going to occur to? And is it going to make people drive better?

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Pringlecp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RichK

SWMBO has complained about a couple of adverts on TV (to ITC). On one occasion, she got the 'it's humorous/cartoony' type answer (it was an ad for a war/fighting vid game - shown before 9:00) and on the other occasion got a 'complaint upheld' company have been instructed to cease & desist type answer

(can't remember what that was for though).
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Remember that Carlsberg ad. a few years ago, with the woman tipping lager everywhere and the bloke lapping it up - all over the kitchen and bathroom etc - then having a look of disappointment on her face when the can was empty by the time they got to the bedroom?
It was reported in the Grauniad that ASA received 69 complaints for that ad. citing "unwanted sexual innuendo" as the reason - that fact still makes me chuckle now.[;)]

Another year older, another Budweiser

eternal_headwind · June 2007

If a bike rack is on a car, then either it will not be used or we introduce someone to cycling. So yes, that is a good thing.
All of cretins points seem to be geared towards protecting the driver. Whilst any reduction in road casualties is laudable, I feel their approach is somewhat polarised.

snorri · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cretin

Volvo have an excellent reputation for encouraging safety,
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They used to have, but that went out the window when they decided to appeal to the "performance" sector.
They really had a quite horrifying advert. for a new car a few years ago where they compared the car to a jet fighter. They listed all of the bits and pieces which protected the vehicle occupants, but mentioned nothing of any safeguards for other road users. The pilot/driver was depicted in full flying gear giving the reader the clear impression that in the event of a prang the driver/pilot fired his ejection seat and landed safely well away from the carnage.
I reported that one to the ASA, and I am happy to say there has been nothing quite so dreadful from Volvo since then.

Cretin · June 2007

Unsurprising that they'd do that since they're heavily involved in the manufacture of aircraft and rocket parts. Volvo have been racing cars since the mid-eighties, with some considerable success. Saab had a very similar advertisement talking about the most important part of any car being the seat.

If you want to see a truly irresponsible video (but impressive, I like it), watch this:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 8419624712

Rhythm Thief · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cretin

If you want to see a truly irresponsible video (but impressive, I like it), watch this:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 8419624712
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's rather clever. Much as I'm not normally a fan of advertising I do like stuff like that.

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