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Ferrari Fury over “Donkey” Advertisement
The Advertising Standards Authority in South Africa has banned a print advertisement for BMW’s M-badged high-performance cars. The advertisement boasts that BMW builds “the fastest cars on the planet” and parodies other makers of high-performance models.
The work of BMW agency TBWA Hunt Lascaris, the advertisement drew complaints from a number of carmakers – among them Ferrari. The advertisement showed a close-up of an automobile badge depicting a despondent donkey on a car that resembled a Ferrari.
Ferrari SpA complained that the advertisement exploited the goodwill in its prancing horse badge and disparaged Ferrari properties. BMW argued that the vehicle shown was a “composite” which was not identifiable and constituted a parody, which is allowed by the ASA code.
The ASA ruled that while the illustration was a parody, it would be identified with Ferrari.
“This does not constituted fair play among advertisers,” it ruled. “Ferrari is equated to a donkey which is, to say the least, not complimentary to a sports car icon.”
BMW was asked to revise the advertisement if it wished to use it in future.
Source : Tony Koenderman, Automotive News Europe
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