Ad description
A regional newspaper ad on 31 August 2011 for the Fiat 500 TwinAir was headlined "Try a whole new kind of speed dating". Text below stated "First, find a new girl and say ‘If I don't like you by the time we've driven to Land's End and back, it's a non-starter’. That way if sparks don't fly at least you can enjoy your Fiat 500 TwinAir. You know it makes sense. The Fiat 500 comes with the TwinAir turbo 85 BHP engine, which as well as being a blast to drive, is the lowest CO2 emission petrol car engine in the world". Further text followed, referencing other features of the car.
Issue
A complainant challenged whether speed was the main message of the ad, with reference to the claims "TRY A WHOLE NEW KIND OF SPEED DATING" and "a blast to drive".
Response
Fiat Group Automobiles UK Ltd (Fiat) denied that speed was the main message of the ad or that it encouraged or condoned speeding. They stated that the concept of the ad was in line with their marketing campaign to depict the Fiat500 TwinAir as a fun and enjoyable car to drive with low CO2 emissions. They said that this particular ad further introduced the subject of love and the idea that it would not be difficult to fall in love with the Fiat500 TwinAir.
Fiat also stated that the headline claim related to the phenomenon of speed dating, a form of match-making which enabled people to meet and to decide quickly if they were romantically compatible. They stated that the comparison could be drawn because the car was fun to drive and a driver would fall in love with it in a short time. They said that the comparison was reinforced by the inclusion of an illustration of a triangle with a heart and the final line "You'll fall in love and maybe get the girl as well".
Fiat stated that the ad used colloquial language and slang and the reference to the car being "a blast to drive" was intended to highlight that the car was an extremely pleasurable experience. They did not believe that any reasonable interpretation of the concept of speed-dating or the suggestion that the car was "a blast to drive" implied or was suggestive of driving at speed when viewed in the overall context of the ad. In addition, Fiat provided the ASA with definitions of the terms “speed dating” and “having a blast” to further clarify this point.
Fiat also stated that the vehicle shown in the ad was stationary and was not being driven in a manner which would condone anti-social behaviour or irresponsible driving.
Fiat stated that the main message of ad was one of "fun" and "falling in love" and not suggestive of driving at speed.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA noted Fiat's argument that they had not intended speed to be the main focus of the ad. We noted the complainant's argument that the claims to try a "whole new kind of speed dating" in a car that was "a blast to drive" could be seen as references to speeding but disagreed. Rather, we considered that the main message of the ad was placed firmly in the context of "speed dating" and the claim "a blast to drive" would be seen as a message that the car was fun to drive. We therefore concluded the ad did not make speed the main message of the ad and was unlikely to be seen to encourage anti-social behaviour or irresponsible driving.
We investigated the ad under Cap Code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 1.3 Marketing communications must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society. (Social responsibility) and 19.4 19.4 Marketers must not make speed or acceleration the main message of their marketing communications. Marketing communications may give general information about a vehicle's performance, such as acceleration and mid-range statistics, braking power, road-holding and top speed. (Motoring) but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action required.
