An ad from Brisbane-based beer company XXXX has been pinged for health and safety issues.
This television advertisement features two 4WD vehicles on the beach. A man is tightening a ratchet strap.
There are a number of people pulling on a rope with a man saying "Little more, come on, little more, little more. liiiittle more. Down yep, nah a little less, up up up up up up, up up, down, there it is."
There are then seven people sitting in a hammock suspended between the two 4WD vehicles using the winches mounted to their bumper bars.
Ad Standards received two complaints which raised concerns of unsafe use of a winch to set up a hammock between two cars.
"This ad promotes unsafe use of 4wd equipment," one said.
"This ad will encourage people to use winches in unsafe ways and not how they should be used. Incorrect use of winches can end in accidents/death/decapitation. Winches are already dangerous equipment to use, and this should not be promoted," another said.
XXXX ad via Ad Standards.
In response, the owner of XXXX Lion – Beer, Spirits & Wine Pty Ltd believed there was no breach, as the operation of the 4WD winches is shown in a safe and responsible way.
"Reasonable members of the community would recognise that the depicted measures made the operation of the winches safe and not understand that the Advertisement is encouraging or condoning unsafe behaviour," the advertiser said.
In agreeance, the Ad Standards Panel found the ad to use winches in a safe and controlled manner.
But the Panel considered that incorrect use of winches can cause injury and death.
"The amount of safety precautions needed to depict the scenario was indicative of the dangers that could occur if the winches were used incorrectly... these safety precautions would not be immediately apparent to people watching the advertisement," the Panel stated.
"The Panel considered that the advertisement depicted and condoned the use of 4WD winches for frivolous activities, which could lead to copycat behaviour where the appropriate safety precautions are not taken."
As a result, the ad breached AANA Code of Ethics 2.6 health and safety.
Lion discontinued using this advertisement.
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