Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Separate forum to permit easy exclusion when searching for serious information !
Post Reply
Tonyf33
Posts: 3926
Joined: 17 Nov 2007, 3:31pm
Location: Letchworth N.Herts

Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Tonyf33 »

I just happen to watch this carp on CH5 http://www.tvadvertsuk.com/food-and-bev ... rman-mars/
I've made a complaint to the ASA, the person breaks the law at least twice and rides recklessly and dangerously on a bike that has only a single brake which would be inadequate at the speeds he is going to stop.
Portraying people on bikes in this way, pulling out of his drive without checking (head down) riding furiously on a bike far too small downhill without the ability to stop, going at speeds within inches of workmen and doing stunt jumps to cut through the traffic then again 'racing' against other cyclists is totally disgraceful advertising. :twisted:
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by TonyR »

None of that's a problem because he's wearing a H****t. :wink:
User avatar
Philip Benstead
Posts: 1944
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 7:06pm
Location: Victoria , London

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Philip Benstead »

Tonyf33 wrote:I just happen to watch this carp on CH5 http://www.tvadvertsuk.com/food-and-bev ... rman-mars/
I've made a complaint to the ASA, the person breaks the law at least twice and rides recklessly and dangerously on a bike that has only a single brake which would be inadequate at the speeds he is going to stop.
Portraying people on bikes in this way, pulling out of his drive without checking (head down) riding furiously on a bike far too small downhill without the ability to stop, going at speeds within inches of workmen and doing stunt jumps to cut through the traffic then again 'racing' against other cyclists is totally disgraceful advertising. :twisted:


Have you seen this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbKa28RBiGI
Philip Benstead | Life Member Former CTC Councillor/Trustee
Organizing events and representing cyclists' in southeast since 1988
Bikeability Instructor/Mechanic
User avatar
Heltor Chasca
Posts: 3016
Joined: 30 Aug 2014, 8:18pm
Location: Near Bath & The Mendips in Somerset

Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Heltor Chasca »

Changed my mind. Don't like Mars anymore
Last edited by Heltor Chasca on 1 Jan 2016, 10:45pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bez
Posts: 1218
Joined: 10 Feb 2015, 10:41am
Contact:

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Bez »

Tonyf33 wrote:the person breaks the law at least twice … on a bike that has only a single brake


I've watched it a few times now and you're going to have to help me out on the lawbreaking bits (especially as you ought to be referring to the law of whichever US state he's riding in). And how do you know the bike doesn't have a coaster brake?
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by TonyR »

Bez wrote:I've watched it a few times now and you're going to have to help me out on the lawbreaking bits (especially as you ought to be referring to the law of whichever US state he's riding in).


Have they started driving on the left in the US?
Bez
Posts: 1218
Joined: 10 Feb 2015, 10:41am
Contact:

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Bez »

Ah, yes, that's a good point ;)

Aus or SA, then? Anyway… my daft, hurried assumptions aside: it ain't the UK, so I'm still curious as to what the complaint is.
User avatar
Vantage
Posts: 3050
Joined: 24 Jan 2012, 1:44pm
Location: somewhere in Bolton
Contact:

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Vantage »

I thought joke threads were supposed to go into the Fun & Games section of the forum.
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Tonyf33
Posts: 3926
Joined: 17 Nov 2007, 3:31pm
Location: Letchworth N.Herts

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Tonyf33 »

Bez wrote:Ah, yes, that's a good point ;)

Aus or SA, then? Anyway… my daft, hurried assumptions aside: it ain't the UK, so I'm still curious as to what the complaint is.

Are you seriously not able to see the law breaking? dangerous cycling is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988, this is broken on at least two occasions, to my mind three. potrayal of cyclists as reckless law breakers is irresponsible at best and sets a very bad impression for kids.
But you must be okay with dangerous cycling right? :roll:
Last edited by Tonyf33 on 2 Jan 2016, 10:06am, edited 1 time in total.
Tonyf33
Posts: 3926
Joined: 17 Nov 2007, 3:31pm
Location: Letchworth N.Herts

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Tonyf33 »

Vantage wrote:I thought joke threads were supposed to go into the Fun & Games section of the forum.

If you've nothing positive to add ........................................................................................................................................ I would politely ask that you refrain from doing so.
Last edited by Graham on 2 Jan 2016, 10:52am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Steady on now.
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Which bits are dangerous cycling.

Looks like he took a separate lane (maybe intended for pedestrians) through the roadworks, but he shoulder checks, times his arrival at lights....

It's also clearly a spoof - in rather controlled conditions.

Do you complain about the car adverts where the city streets are empty?
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
User avatar
Vantage
Posts: 3050
Joined: 24 Jan 2012, 1:44pm
Location: somewhere in Bolton
Contact:

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Vantage »

It might be worth you watching the advert again Tony.
Whilst the ad has some serious work to do such as promoting their product to consumers, it is evidently done in a comedy way.
It's a bit like johnny foreigner watching Dads Army and concluding that the entire British army is full of cuffudling old pensioners.
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by PH »

It's a disgrace, it presents a Mars Bar as a suitable post ride recovery bar when everyone knows that's a Snickers.
User avatar
Vantage
Posts: 3050
Joined: 24 Jan 2012, 1:44pm
Location: somewhere in Bolton
Contact:

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Vantage »

PH wrote:It's a disgrace, it presents a Mars Bar as a suitable post ride recovery bar when everyone knows that's a Snickers.


Utter utter rubbish. Everyone knows its a Fudge and a bag of Haribo. Amateur!
Bill


“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: Mars Bar advert Advertising complaint

Post by Vorpal »

I thought it was cleverly done. And in New Zealand, where I think this was filmed, children's bikes have to have the rear brake as a back-pedal brake. So, that bicycle certainly has two brakes, one rim brake, and one back-pedal brake.

I agree with others, the road works are on a protected bicycle lane, with car parking between the lane and the street, not a pavement.

We don't see the very beginning, where the cyclist would have been looking for traffic before riding into the road, we only see the riding into the road itself, so we don't know whether he looked. I certainly don't see any evidence of dangerous cycling. His bike is clearly too small, but he seems pretty confident riding it. One might even think he'd done that before ;)
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Post Reply