TV ads portraying an irresponsible image of 4WD driving

Apart from TV I have never understood why people likewise drive through Salt water, when you watch snippets on TV of Fraser Island you see idiots do it all the time. (My opinion and not necessarily the opinion of ExploreOz). Why would you do this to your car and what about the poor bathplug that will own it next time?
TV Shows idiot 4 x 4ing in Adds but there are a hell of a lot out there on the road. Cheers Tony

Willie

Ban 'em.....Ban 'em... Ban 'em,
And show adds of how it should be done.

I totally agree, those sort of adds should be banned.
The misinformation portrayed, will only cause a lot of people to come to grief, and are totally irresponsible.

Recently I took some "non 4X4" friends out, across some relatively steep farmland, and they were amazed that I actually drove slowly, and kept all 4 wheels on the ground, at any time.

They admitted to me that the impression given by TV adds was we were out of control with speed and bumps..
Then I explained those adds are irresponsible.

Cheers
Bucky

Ah Sir Willie!

I suggest you make notes on the advertisements which get your goat. Then you write a letter stating all the facts at hand to Advertising Standards Bureau Site Link with copies to the Public Relations Departments of the Vehicle Manufacturers involved.

After 15 months(as it may take that long to get a reply), please post the results of your complaints here on the forum.

C'mon, you have a few months of kicking your heels before you take off again.

Personally I agree with you but I don't give a rat's arse what people think of 4x4's or how they are driven. In the scheme of things it is of no consequence.

Cheers

Willie
I've owned and used a 4wd now for 35 years, been involved in the 4wd club scene for just as long and the 4wd movement has been trying to stop these ads or nearly as long.
Most vehicle manufacturers are not interested in honest portrayal of their vehicles in action as it doesn't sell vehicles.

Might I suggest that the 4WDs in these adds are being driven by the same men we see in a host of other adds. Men who are just plain hopeless at a huge range of things from plumbing to parenting.

When was the last time you saw an add where the average family man was anything other than incompetent. If we ran adds portraying women in that light they would be banned.

Personally I can fix a leaking pipe, I can repair a damaged just about anything, including jewellery and computers, in fact at my place when it breaks they call dad and mostly it works after that.

Duncs

Just like news items covering flooded areas, also have you seen the tracks lately?

Hi Willie,

These sort of ads really frustrate Matt as 1/ as you stated above 2/ as a mechanic he used to work for a particular car manufacturer - he would see the ads on TV - and cringe as these so called 4WD's shown on the ads were not capable of doing such driving, customers would bring their cars in and winge that their car was stuffed and wonder why.

Cheers
Caroline

Willie,
I come from an advertising background and so pay attention to TV radio and internet advertisements with some interest.

To be honest 4x4 ads are pretty consistent with many forms of advertising where decent information in the form of stats, evidence, etc seems pretty much a forgotten thing. I refer to the current trend of ads these days as having 'idiot appeal'.

Of course for most ads 'idiot appeal' is relativley harmless but can you imagine advertising swimming, bicycle riding or other potentially quite dangerous activities IF they were portrayed the the same sensation way that the 4x4 ads are? I'm pretty sure that there would be a public outcry and the ads would be removed.

The facts are 4x4 manufacturers just want to sell cars. Nothing else matters.

In my opinion to own a 4x4 you should be required to prove via a test that you can drive it both safely and responsibly. But then that wouldn't have 'idiot appeal' would it?

It's called marketing, pure and simple.

Just because it isn't a true portrayal doesn't mean it can't be advertised.

Marketing companies exist to sell their products not to make life-long friends with people who buy their products.

Footloose - and.........what?

Let me guess some people saying it was 'their right' to drive a 4x4?

No well how about, "it's just an excuse for the Gov't to make another dollar"?

Off topic slightly but when I moved from Sydney to the country, one of the first things I needed to buy was a tractor. I can tell you I needed no licence or experience. Just pay the money and it was mine. Boy did I have some close one's or what? And there were city escapees not as lucky as me that killed themselves using a tractor. I wish I needed a training course before being let loose. I'd have more hair now.

Willie - Bingara. Yes she's a lovely spot alright. Camping is free. It's on the western side of the bridge and into land right along the river for maybe 5 kms or more. Plenty of top camping spots and free. Only 5 minutes to town, if that.

Money we saved was spent in town on food & fuel. That's our rule. Kind of you scratch my back.........

Hi Willie

From time to time i see on television a way to contact the self regulatory body if you object to something seen in a television advertisement. Anyone who objects should do this. Some of the adverts i have seen are setting the wrong example to our youth, a bit like adverts that glamorise smoking or drinking in a way to appeal to young people.

Motherhen

If everyone offended by such ads were to complain through the mentioned channels maybe some changes would occur, maybe.
I cant seriously believe that 4wd are sold due to these stupid ads,
more likely that ad agencies convince manufacturers that they
work. A classic example was the ads for the first Adventurer & Territory models, filmed on the Plenty. A Motoring mag took both vehicles loaded as for the family holiday & neither proved suitable.
The rocks removed the wiring for the AWD on one, disabling it,
& the other arrived with gaping holes in the floorpan that a kid could fall through. The result ??.. Ads were no longer shown.
Oh, dear, I just noticed the picture of a 4by on this page, water going higher than the roof..QLD Gov ad. Glass Houses???.
....oldbaz.

Wow, I'm amazed that so many people actually watch the ads.
I always thought they put in the ad breaks to give you a couple of minutes to have a slash, grab another beer, and have a flick through the other channels to see if there is anything actually worth watching.

Cheers
Glenn

I just read all of the posts above.

I guess it's slightly irritating to see 4x4s used in a fun and foolish way....

but just look at the other crazy ads [not adds BTW] for ordinary vehicles. Barely any of them show the real qualities of the car. Usually try to convince that you will impress, or fly or be rich by driving a boring little sedan.

After thinking for a bit.... I too don't care. But then I don't watch ads!

I don't visit the smoke all that often, but when we go to Sydney, we usually call in and see an old army mate & his Mrs. They live in a very nice suburb on the North Shore. My friend has over the years acquired considerable wealth (not like me), and has a new vehicle just about every year, as does his wife.

The latest : him = BMW 4 x 4. her = Pajero (it's safer).

When asked if they have been off road. No. Driving around town.

Similarly, if you have a look in the street they live in you will generally see a similar collection of vehicles, the only difference is the European make (Volvo, Merc, Audi).

It would appear to me that this is the target group that the advertising is directed at. Vehicles being used in improbable situations, like that Nissan ad, where it tows a vehicular punt across a fairly deep creek with a Toyota on board Should they have the gall to show that one again, or a similar ad, on T.V. just check out what is missing. The Nissan doing the towing didn't appear to have any of the stuff that we consider as 'standard', nor does the ad portray the problems that such shenanigan's can create to a vehicle. The travelling through sea water is another instance.

Where I live (Broken Hill), I would say that just about every second vehicle is a FWD of some type. People in rural Oz. really don't need W.O.F.T.A.M. ads to tell them about the vehicles we need, because they are used in that configuration in normal day to day use. But Sydney?

Remember that move by some pedestrian safety mob in NSW, who wanted bull bars banned. Their rationale being that you will sustain serious injury if struck by a vehicle with one fitted. I suppose you don't get as hurt by a vehicle with a standard. Not bloody much, you just get killed a bit less.

You won't get any argument from me about advertisements portraying an incorrect image. But people see them and believe the crap they show.

Anyway, I don't think Mr & Mrs. Average Aussie knows a great deal about FWD'ing, they see the commercials and are sucked in, or drive on the main roads, when a conventional vehicle would suffice. Like my friends.

Pajero's as an urban vehicle, I just wonder!

Dick