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Not Average Ad Melts Down Regulator

Michael Hedges July 2, 2020 Follow on Twitter

Taking people out of their comfort zones is a defining quality of effective advertising. There are many wonderful examples. For years Benetton shocked the daylights out of people with its unforgettable ads. The strong emotional response benefitted the brand’s strength, not necessarily clothing sales. Not every message is easy. Nor should it be.

I'm meltingBicycles are very cool in these days of social distancing and challenged mobility, electric bikes even more so. More than just trendy, e-bikes are popular, especially in congested urban zones. Bike shops are crowded (responsibly). There are many bike brands.

Dutch electric bicycle manufacturer VanMoof competes in this crowded neighborhood. And the first law of marketing is stand out in a crowd. And they did.

A TV ad was produced pitching its S3 e-bike. Quite to the point it pictured crowded highways lined with smoke-spewing factories and quick-takes of police cars racing through street riots. In the forefront was a very hot super-car that, at the end of 45 seconds, melted into the S3 e-bike. The script called viewers to imagine a different way to get around: “Time to ride the future”. Not subtle. The ad appeared on Dutch and German TV channels in June.

Then VanMoof planned to place the ad on French TV, which requires authorization. Ooh, la, la. French advertising regulation authority ARPP (Autorité de régulation professionnelle de la publicité) banned it. "Some visuals reflected on the car appear, in our opinion, disproportionate and bring the entire automotive sector into disrepute by blaming it alone, while creating an anxiety-provoking climate,” said an ARPP statement to Le Parisien (June 30). “They must therefore be modified.”

“We have always been aware that this commercial is nothing like an average bicycle advertisement,” said VanMoof co-founder Taco Carlier, quoted by Dutch tech portal TechPulse (July 1). It is a call for action, an opportunity to leave the past behind and make real progress that will benefit everyone. Questioning the status quo will always lead to a confrontation, but we wanted to achieve that from the beginning.” ARPP’s rejection of the ad, he said, amounted to censorship.

That brought a stern rebuke from ARPP director general Stéphane Martin, quoted by FranceInfo (June 30), accusing VanMoof of “shouting censorship to obtain free media coverage. We can't afford to disparage business sectors. It's a great principle of fair competition.” Then it was revealed in Dutch media (adinformate.nl July 1) that ARPP board member Valérie Candeiller just happens to be advertising director for Renault France. The ARPP is an ad sector supported self-regulator. It regularly previews advertising material and issues advice that can be referred to regulators.

With irony suspended, the ARPP decision was announced as the French environmental party EELV made unexpected gains in municipal elections last weekend, particularly in metropolitan areas. “Analysts are seeing it as a turning point for the environmentalists, as the concerns of metropolitan residents over matters such as pollution, congestion, climate and social issues come to the fore,” reported Euronews (June 29).

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