An advert for Twix has been banned after the UK’s advertising watchdog ruled it promoted dangerous and irresponsible driving.
The commercial, created by Mars Wrigley, features a dramatic car chase where one of the drivers crashes through a roadside barrier, grins as the vehicle plummets off a cliff, and lands upside-down on top of another moving car.
A Twix bar then falls through the sunroof and into the car below as both vehicles drive off together, still attached.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it received five complaints from viewers, with concerns that the advert “encouraged dangerous driving and were irresponsible”.
Mars Wrigley defended the advert, stating it was produced with a “cinematic presentation” and took place in a “separate world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality.”
The company added that the stunts were performed at “lawful speeds” and reflected only the “legal and safe driving presented” during the chase.
Addressing the final stunt — which features the cars in an implausible, physically impossible position — Mars argued that it was “clearly exaggerated and not possible in reality.”
The company emphasized the fictional and humorous nature of the sequence, noting that both drivers were shown reaching down to operate the same gear stick in the bottom car, reinforcing the advert’s “absurd” tone.
Mars Wrigley further stated the humour was highlighted by the tagline, “Two is More Than One.” It insisted the driving scenes were never meant to be imitated and did not promote violations of the Highway Code.
Despite these arguments, the ASA found the advert to be “irresponsible.” The authority pointed to the use of fast-paced music by Molchat Doma, which it said “emphasised the feeling of speed,” adding, “We considered the emphasis on a chase, and the speed inherent to that, and the driving manoeuvres featured would be dangerous and irresponsible if emulated in real life on a public highway.”
“Because we considered the driving depicted in the ads condoned unsafe driving, that appeared likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code, we concluded the ads were irresponsible.”
Ordering the removal of the advert, the ASA concluded: “The ads must not appear again in their current form. We told Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK Ltd not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads.”
In response, a Mars Wrigley UK spokesperson said: “We always take pride in maintaining high standards across all our communications and every advert we produce is submitted for approval through the appropriate review channels.
“In our view, this particular advert adopts a fantastical tone that is neither realistic nor intended to be imitated.
“Nonetheless, we take our responsibility as an advertiser seriously and never intended to cause any offence or concern, so we are reviewing the ruling carefully in order to work collaboratively towards a resolution.”
(The Telegraph)
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