ASA Adjudication on Humming Bird Motors Ltd

Ad

A regional press ad, for Humming Bird Motors which appeared in the Islington Gazette, showed a young woman dressed in 1960s style vintage clothing standing in front of a circular target-style background and aiming a gun directly at the reader. Headline text stated "This weekend you're going to help me hit my target. Aren't you." Further text stated "The 'Hit My Target' Sale. Only at Humming Bird Motors. Now extended to Saturday 31st January 2009. Last weekend's unveiling at Humming Bird Motors was an incredible success: so much so, that nearly all the amazing bargains on offer were snapped up, taking me within a whisker of hitting my target. Fortunately for all the people who couldn't make it last weekend, there are still five cars left, and the lucky ones will be those who can grab one before they're gone. Don't miss them; help me hit my target".

Issue

A reader challenged whether the image of the woman pointing a gun directly at the reader was irresponsible, because of current concerns about gun crime and because it made light of and could be seen to condone gun crime.

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

Humming Bird Motors (HBM) said the model was dressed in vintage-style clothing and positioned against a psychedelic target and a 1960s/70s typeface was chosen for the text in an effort to achieve a light-hearted, Austin Powers-type effect.  They believed, in this context, the image was unlikely to provoke violence or anti-social behaviour or condone that behaviour.  In the view of HBM, it was implicit in the copy that the ad concerned a sales target.  

HBM apologised that the image had caused a reader to question whether it was irresponsible, but said they wished to assure them that they took their responsibilities seriously.  They said they tried to balance the twin needs of being responsible with making memorable, informative and relevant advertising and believed this ad, with its arch, kitsch, camp style communicated their need to meet a sales target in an eye-catching style, but nothing more.

North London Newspapers (NLN) said they did not condone violence or anti-social behaviour in any form and pointed out that they had published several editions campaigning against gun and knife crime in particular.  They believed HBM's ad used a pastiche of movie poster imagery to grab readers' attention and very similar images could be seen in newspapers, magazines and outside cinemas across the world advertising action, adventure and spy movies; the public were, therefore, very familiar with this kind of image in the context of advertising.  Furthermore, they said the ad's text clearly promoted car sales and could not, in their view, be misconstrued as condoning gun crime in any way.  They believed there had been no intent for the ad to have any negative associations, because that would not have helped to promote HBM's product.

Assessment

Not upheld

The ASA understood the complainant's concern and acknowledged the necessity for advertisers to act responsibly and sensitively with regard to the depiction and use of weapons. However, although we appreciated that some readers might find the approach used in the ad tasteless in a climate when gun crime featured prominently on the news agenda, we considered that the ad was unlikely to be interpreted as irresponsibly condoning gun crime; it was clearly stylised and without aggression and most likely to be interpreted as light-hearted rather than threatening.  In addition, we considered that the accompanying text, which stated "...you're going to help me hit my target", clarified that the use of a gun in this ad's context was to help illustrate a pun.  While we understood that some readers might consider the use of a gun in this context inappropriately frivolous, we concluded that the ad, when read in its entirety and on balance, was not irresponsible or likely to encourage violent or anti-social behaviour.

We investigated the ad under CAP Code clauses 2.2 (Social responsibility) and 11.1 (Violence and anti-social behaviour) but did not find it in breach.

Action

No action necessary.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)