Xbox 360 Ads Banned in UK

An advertisement for Microsoft’s gaming console, Xbox 360, has been banned by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) in UK, according to whom, the advertisement glorifies street car racing and encourages rash driving.

The commercial features a driver weaving through traffic in a high speed chase through a town center in a make-believe cops-and-robber game, much like some of the street car racing games that can be played on the console. The ASA’s contention is that in the commercial, the car overturns and the driver gets out and is handed a police badge by his pursuers, as if to say, ‘OK, now you’re the cop, we’re the robbers, tag, you’re it.’ The ASA ruled the advertisement breached health and safety and driving standards rules, and should not be broadcast again.

Advertising agency McCann Erickson, which replied to the complaint on behalf of Microsoft, said they were careful during the making of the film to avoid any possible misconception that Xbox was encouraging dangerous driving. Microsoft also stated they specifically decided to run the commercial only after 9 p.m. after working closely with the Broadcast Advertising Clearance.

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An additional note before the commercial states “Dramatization. Professional stunt. Do not attempt”, and “Professional drivers, closed course” to clarify that viewers should not attempt the stunts themselves as all the stunts were performed in controlled environments by pros.

The ASA, however, believes the text further reinforces the sense that the events were real, rather than fantasy, and were therefore capable of being copied.