Toyota ad banned for showing woman standing with her arms outside the vehicle

Toyota has had one of its ads banned by the Ad Standards Board for depicting a woman breaking road rules.

The ad showed a woman standing in the passenger seat with her arms over the top of the vehicle, with a complaint alleging the behaviour was “illegal, unsafe, dangerous, reckless and risky”.

Toyota said most of the footage used was stock footage from Getty Images and the other scenes were filmed under controlled conditions.

“CAD [Commercials Advice] never alerted to us that the footage may be an issue. Never at any point did we feel the advertisement would be considered in breach. When we received this complaint in-house we had it rectified with in a day, adding the disclaimer ‘filmed under safe and controlled conditions’ and advising networks of the new key number,” Toyota said in response to the complaint.

The Ad Standards Board said the woman standing in the ad is not wearing a seatbelt and has her body outside the vehicle, which is against Australian road rules.

Upholding the complaint, the Ad Standards Board, said: “In the current advertisement the woman was shown standing in a convertible, not through a window, however considered that the woman is not wearing a seatbelt and that this is a depiction which is contrary to Australian road rules and is therefore a breach of prevailing community standards on health and safety around traveling in
a moving motor vehicle.”

Toyota said it is in the process of replacing the scene.

“Our business has the utmost pride and integrity to ensure that health and safety is at the highest possible standard and although the footage was filmed under safe and controlled conditions as mentioned in the advertisement the scene has been removed as we do not want to be in breach and wish to fully abide by the code.”