Australian public complain about new BMW TV ad

[Guest Simon*]

Kiwis don't seem to be spinning out over an artistic BMW brand ad promptly banned in Australia on the grounds it promotes hoon driving.

The spot features the latest Z4 coupe creating a giant artwork in a warehouse by driving with painted tyres, and includes the vehicle pulling wheelies and sliding.

It began airing on New Zealand television just over a week ago - days after being pulled off screens in Victoria, a bizarre victim of the state's toughened anti-hoon laws. BMW New Zealand was stunned by the reaction from some viewers across the Tasman, a spokesperson said, and even more so when Australia's advertising watchdog stepped in.

"It (the ad) is part of a global campaign which is running in BMW markets around the world," they said "In all those other markets, there have been no other issues raised.

"Hence why we are surprised that the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, decided to overturn their original approval of the TVC based on a couple of consumer complaints, leading to it being removed from Australian television."

The bureau decided, after receiving complaints, that driving stunts shown in the clip would break Australian road rule laws. New Zealand also has similar 'intentional lose of traction' regs.

BMW New Zealand said that was not the intention.

"This television commercial underlines the car's sophisticated character, superior design aesthetics ... and demonstrates an expression of joy in relation to art."

Kiwi viewers seem to agree. To date, this writer understands, there has been none of the furore raised across the Tasman, where one patently prudish viewer complained it "would encourage car hoons to spin and burn their tyres."

The ad was made by South African performance artist Robin Rhode and famed film director Ridley Scott's son, Jake. It was filmed in one take, over 12 hours. In November 2008 Rhodes used the new Z4 as his 'paint brush' to create a piece of art on a 2000 square-metre piece of canvas. Forty=five cameras were set up to film the painting.

The documentation of the exercise can be seen at http://www.expressionofjoy.com/

Organising the artwork was a nightmare of practical logistics with each colour applied by a fresh set of tyres from a paint reservoir mounted to the rear axle and remotely activated by the artist as the car performed its motorised ballet on the canvas.

BMW Australia reckoned it could have appealed the bureau's decision, but chose not to. However, it still believes the audience could distinguish between fantasy and reality. Said spokesman Toni Andreevski: "It is a bit of a case of a piece of art and the freedom of art being thwarted by Victoria's anti-hoon laws.

"It is a shame that artistic expression would be caught by a quirk in the legislation. Safety is important to us, and we have agreed not to appeal."

In other brand news, BMW New Zealand says a currently disabled feature of its new Seven Series large car might soon become active.

The speed limit display, which can read speed limit signposts and variable speed limit signs and show the limit in the instrument cluster, is an innovation unique to the Munich machine.

The latest generation Seven, which went on sale here several months ago, has the requisite computer hardware, but software issues meant the function is not enabled on examples already here. But that might soon change, with engineers from head office set to visit in the next two months to carry out local testing of the speed limit function.

"They will cover approximately 5000 kilometres over a mix of urban, suburban and rural roads."

The technology uses a camera, fitted near the interior mirror, that is dedicated to monitoring roadside signs as well as variable speed limit signs. It compares this with data pre-saved in the navigation system.

"Even when the speed limit has changed on account of temporary conditions - for example in the case of road works - priority is given to the data recorded by the camera."

The speed allowed is presented to the driver in the instrument cluster, or in the head-up display on the car's windscreen, significantly reducing the risk of breaking the speed limit by mistake.

It is an information system only, so does not intervene in the control of the vehicle or its speed in any way. "The responsibility for maintaining a correct and safe speed will always rest with the driver," BMW NZ said.

[bellicose 9]

Read 'bout this the other day, Australians are so um............no i must remain polite lol.

[westy 614]

Z4 needs paint to do skids.

[M3 Cab 0]

Not the one I drove back from auckland ha

[pjay 8]

iLike the hard top convertible. Makes a vert that much more practical

[OLLIE 26]

I like the new Z4

I think the ad is just dumb, i'd rather see it doing proper drifting and burnouts, none of this artsy fartsy paint sh*t.

FYI - there is an iphone app where you can do this with the Z4, it's pretty funny what you can paint.

[Apex 693]

I like the new Z4

I think the ad is just dumb, i'd rather see it doing proper drifting and burnouts, none of this artsy fartsy paint sh*t.

FYI - there is an iphone app where you can do this with the Z4, it's pretty funny what you can paint.

X2

Stupid add pisses me off.

Now if it was a M3..

[hybrid 1044]

Its weird cause this ad is over 6 months old. They should take Topgear off the air over there. Maybe even stop bathurst? as that shows cars going sideways too.

nannystate=fail

[Greg111 13]

Redic!

[M3 Cab 0]

Australians are homo's

[318isCoupe 0]

this is rediculous! although on the other hand, the new 7 series update sounds interesting.

being paid to drive 5000k's in a new 7 series sounds like a pretty awesome job too!

The latest generation Seven, which went on sale here several months ago, has the requisite computer hardware, but software issues meant the function is not enabled on examples already here. But that might soon change, with engineers from head office set to visit in the next two months to carry out local testing of the speed limit function.

"They will cover approximately 5000 kilometres over a mix of urban, suburban and rural roads."

[AzonicNick 0]

haha yes heard about this a few weeks back on Close Up.

But there are similar cases here, like that Hyundai ad with the baby driving and somebody complaining and having it pulled

[brockie123 31]

what happened to the world? it's so PC kids at school these days cant play on a playground without supervision! australians band that bmx game matt hoffman or somthing.. and now this..

[Gaz 1062]

Haha na that Bmx game was Bmx-xxx and had girls riding around with out tops which was fine in my books. But Oz has always been a Nazi when it comes to R18 video games

OT: I quite like the ad, I'm just waiting for some bogan to turn up with the same system but squirts out oil so he can do mean skids ow

[brockie123 31]

they do that already! a guy in my course at polytech has a cortina, and he has put the washer bottle in the boot and rigged two hoses up to it going to each wheel, and he fills it up with diesel, squirts it, and his car does skids.

[Greg111 13]

If it can't do skids without assistance maybe he should just give up.

[bekker 7]

Remember a couple of years ago they tried to ban Santa's in malls from saying 'ho ho ho'! I've got a few Aussie mates so I'm not gonna bash them, but their bureaucrats do make some funny decisions sometimes! Mind you, they probably say the same about us!

[*Glenn* 855]

Remember a couple of years ago they tried to ban Santa's in malls from saying 'ho ho ho'!

Thats because all the mothers got confused... and thought Santa was calling them

[bekker 7]

Thats because all the mothers got confused... and thought Santa was calling them

I'm moving to Aus!