Luxury vehicle company Mercedes-Benz has discontinued an ad after being accused of promoting dangerous and illegal driving.
The YouTube advertisement features scenes of a person in a silver room dancing between images of some driving a car on a road and through a tunnel.
The advertisement features the disclaimer, 'George Russell - Driver - Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Filmed on closed track. Overseas model shown.'
The complaint submitted to Ad Standards raised concerns of dangerous and illegal driving.
"Vehicle shown speeding and losing traction/drifting - dangerous driving. Car driven illegally, company purposely using illegality to sell cars," the complaint stated.
Mercedes-Benz ad via Ad Standards.
In response Mercedes-Benz (MBAuP) said the ad does not show unsafe driving, but shows the vehicle’s capabilities when undergoing testing or proving on a closed-circuit without any other vehicles present.
The scenes were permitted under clause 3 of the FCAI Code, Mercedes-Benz said.
"The fact that the driver is a professional Formula 1 driver is specifically called out with the disclaimer ‘George Russell – Driver – Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Filmed on a closed track. Overseas model shown’," Mercedes-Benz said.
"MBAuP believes that any reasonable consumer would be unable to ignore this very specific message that is clearly visible for the entirety of the advertisement.
"The advertisement evidently makes use of fantasy, self-evident exaggeration and creative filming techniques."
However, the Ad Standards panel considered that the ad's elements made the vehicle appear to be driving in a manner which was unsafe or which would breach road rules such as the driver holding his finger up to his lips in a “shhh” motion, as though he is doing something wrong.
Despite the panel noting that some scenes were highly stylised, the overall scenario was not unrealistic or fantastical and could be replicated by other drivers in the same vehicle.
"People viewing the advertisement could receive the message that this vehicle is designed to be driven at high speeds around corners including on public roads," the panel stated.
"If a non-professional driver attempted to drive in the same manner it could lead to an accident resulting in significant injury to the vehicle’s occupants."
As a result, the ad was found to breach FCAI Motor Vehicle Advertising Code\2(a) Unsafe driving. The advertisement has been discontinued.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.