Ad description

A YouTube video for Converse Footwear, seen on 21 July 2018 as a banner ad on the home page after signing in, showed the actress Millie Bobby Brown with one foot up on the dashboard of a moving car.

Issue

Three complainants challenged whether, by showing someone with a foot up on the dashboard of a moving car, the ad condoned or encouraged unsafe behaviour that could be emulated by children and young people.

Response

Converse Inc. said the ad attempted to retell the story of a young woman defying convention by wearing Chuck Taylor trainers on the red carpet to a premiere event. The ad setting was informal and the story was told in a casual manner, which had the effect of emphasising the story (which had no relevance to her positioning in the car) and its message about the trainers. They said the ad was clearly for trainers and was not related to cars, activities in cars or car related products, and no attention was drawn to Millie Bobby Brown’s position in the car.

Converse said while the ad featured a child (Millie Bobby Brown was 14) it was not addressed to or targeted directly at children. They pointed out that she had featured in a number of adult dramas and had a low profile amongst children and they therefore believed that the ad was unlikely to have particular resonance for children of any age. That reduced the likelihood that children who saw the ad would seek to copy her behaviour.

Converse did not believe the situation shown could be described as hazardous or that the behaviour could be described as dangerous. They confirmed that no restriction had been placed on the ad by YouTube, which they believed demonstrated that the ad did not condone or encourage an unsafe practice which was likely to be emulated by children.

Assessment

Not upheld

The ASA noted the ad depicted a teenager sitting in the front passenger seat of a moving car while telling her story to the driver, who was out of shot. We considered that was a common and recognisable setting that many viewers, including children, would be familiar with, and accordingly that it would be easy for them to emulate the scene depicted in the ad.

We considered that Converse was a brand associated with youth culture, and that even for those who were not aware of her it was clear from her appearance and the context of her story that Millie Bobby Brown was a teenager and a celebrity. The theme of her story – challenging social norms – was something that we considered would appeal to people of all ages, and particularly to teenagers and young people. For those reasons we considered that while the ad was not targeted at children it was likely to resonate with teenagers as well as adults.

We understood that it could be dangerous for car passengers to place their feet on the dashboard of a moving vehicle, particularly as it could interfere with the proper operation of an air-bag in case of emergency. However, the angle of the shot drew attention to her face and the story she was telling, and we considered viewers would understand that her foot was raised in order to ensure the trainers featured prominently in the ad. The way she was sitting was not otherwise relevant to the product being advertised or the story being told, and we considered viewers were therefore likely to pay little attention to the way she was sitting. For that reason, we concluded the ad did not condone or encourage an unsafe practice.

We investigated the ad under investigated under CAP Code (Edition 12) rules  4.5 4.5 Marketing communications, especially those addressed to or depicting a child, must not condone or encourage an unsafe practice (see Section 5: Children).  (Harm and offence) and  5.1 5.1 Marketing communications addressed to, targeted directly at or featuring children must contain nothing that is likely to result in their physical, mental or moral harm:  and  5.1.2 5.1.2 children must not be shown in hazardous situations or behaving dangerously except to promote safety. Children must not be shown unattended in street scenes unless they are old enough to take responsibility for their own safety.
Pedestrians and cyclists must be seen to observe the Highway Code
 (Children), but did not find it in breach.

Action

No further action necessary.

CAP Code (Edition 12)

4.5     5.1     5.1.2    


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