AUSTRALIA’S advertising watchdog has reacted to Ford’s new television ad for its Ranger Raptor ute with a ban because it shows “reckless” driving techniques and “would constitute unsafe driving”.

The TVC was created by Ford’s Australian agency GTB, a division of British- listed advertising giant WPP. WPP recently lost the Ford account for the first time in 75 years, ending one of the longest advertising relationships in history.

Similarly as distressing was the end of the Ranger Raptor ad for Australian audiences.

The banning follows the similar fate for Volkswagen Amarok’s “Too powerful for TV” ad that was banned despite using computer-generated imagery.

Ad Standards said the Ford ad was pulled because of an unspecified number of complaints about its focus on speed, acceleration, engine sounds and one scene showing off the ute’s new suspension that shows all four wheels off the ground.

It agreed that the ad was filmed on private land, used a professional driver, did not show any other person or vehicle, was conducted with full safety concerns addressed and that the vehicle never exceeded 80km/h.

“The Ranger Raptor is depicted driving off-road for the duration of the Ranger Raptor TVC,” Ford said in response to the Ad Standards report.

“Due to the loose nature of the surfaces it travels over, at times some terrain can be seen being displaced by the Ranger Raptor’s off-road tyres.

“Ford feels this is indicative of the off-road surface rather than any sort of dangerous driving (such as burnouts), and adds that this was a private testing facility with all driving approved by the owner of the land.”

Despite Ford’s response, Ad Standards said the disclaimer used by the advertiser only appeared on screen for six seconds and there is no way viewers would know the ad was filmed in a testing area.

“The speed that the vehicle is seen travelling down the dirt road, dramatised by the sound of the engine and filming techniques, appeared reckless,” Ad Standards said.

“The panel considered the speed of the vehicle appeared unsafe when the vehicle became airborne.”

Ad Standards used the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) Voluntary Code of Practice for Motor Vehicle Advertising as a guideline to its decision.

Ford said it had suspended all media for the campaign and that it was “committed to creating a Ranger Raptor TVC that complies with the FCAI Code while continuing to demonstrate the capability of our off-road performance flagship”.

By Neil Dowling