Michelin ad censured by ASA
The recent campaign from Michelin has been censured by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)following 15 complaints that its claim to save up to 80 litres of fuel was misleading.
The campaign, by TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, was the first in the new series of adverts from the tyre brand, featured an animated fuel pump sucking money from people’s cars, while a voice-over stated that “there was a town held captive by an evil fuel pump … but along came the Michelin man, who reminded them the right tyre changes everything … Michelin EnergySaver can help to save up to 80 litres of fuel”.
The complaints to the ASA that the statement of fuel saving were misleading as it did not specify the period of time that the claim related to.
Michelin did highlight that Clearcast, the ASA’s advertising advisory body had cleared the advert for transmission.
Clearcast defended itself having said that its motoring consultant had confirmed the claim was over the life of the tyre (45,000 km) and that, given the large amount of fuel that the commercial claimed could be saved; they considered that this was a statement of the obvious, which was why the advert was approved.
Although the ASA accepted Clearcasts comments and believed that most viewers would understand that the claim was over the life of the tyre, but concluded that because the advert did not state the time period of the claim, the advert was misleading and that it must not be broadcast again in its current form.
The Drum has spoken exclusively Claire Dorland-Clauzel, head of brand and communications for Michelin about her role in overseeing the Michelin brand and the strategy behind the current international marketing campaign which featured in the next edition of The Drum magazine, available Friday.
The piece can also be viewed on the MiNetwork site now.