GM Pulls Mr. Madonna's 'Vette Ad

An advertisement filmed by Guy Ritchie for the new Corvette has been yanked from the air because of complaints over the driving portrayed in it. The commercial, teamed to the Rolling Stones song "Jumpin' Jack Flash," has been aired during NBC's Olympic coverage, and shows a daydreaming young boy speeding in the Corvette through city streets. The Center for Auto Safety and Consumers Union were among the groups complaining over the advertising. The director Ritchie is the director of movies like Swept Away, which featured his wife, Madonna.

Source: Daily Edition

Additional info:

GM pulls Corvette ad after protest

Groups compare the ad, depicting a child's dream of driving fast, to dreams of underage drinking.
August 25, 2004: 4:17 PM EDT



DETROIT (Reuters) - Protests from seven safety groups prompted General Motors Corp. to pull a television ad that shows a young boy driving a Corvette sports car so recklessly that it goes airborne, officials of the automaker said on Wednesday.


The ad, featuring the Rolling Stones song "Jumpin' Jack Flash,'' has aired repeatedly during the Olympics. The groups, including Consumers Union and the Center for Auto Safety, complained that it was "the most dangerous'' spot they have seen in recent years.

Directed by singer Madonna's husband Guy Ritchie, the spot shows a boy's daydream of racing the Corvette through downtown streets and through a construction pipe. The safety groups said in a letter to GM released on Wednesday that the spot could encourage children to take their parents' cars for a drive.





"This ad is certainly among the most dangerous, antisafety messages to be aired on national television in recent years,'' the safety groups said in a joint letter sent to GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner.

"It is doubtful that General Motors would condone the beer industry showing a 'dream sequence' of 10-year-old children having an after-school 'kegger', '' the letter said.

The ad does include a warning that drivers should operate the vehicle safely and must have a license, but the automaker decided to stop airing the spot, GM spokesman Joe Jacuzzi said on Wednesday.

"We decided to pull it due to responses and feedback we received,'' Jacuzzi said. "It's a big ad, and it's been airing for a while, but we've got a whole campaign.''

The Corvette ad is one of many spots GM prepared for the Summer Olympics. GM is the largest television advertiser during the Summer Games, spending 10 times more during the Aug. 13-29 Olympics than it typically spends during a comparable period.

The seven groups who signed the letter include Consumers Union, Public Citizen, Center for Auto Safety, Consumer Federation of America and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.




Groups have also protested controversial ads or marketing campaigns from other automakers in recent years.

Ford Motor Co. was targeted when an ad showing a decapitated cat found its way onto the Internet. In the ad, the cat pokes its head through the sunroof of the SportKa, but the animal is decapitated when the roof closes. That spot, which Ford said it never authorized and never aired, is still shown on the Internet, where it has created a buzz.

Chrysler pulled its sponsorship of the "Lingerie Bowl,'' aired during the Super Bowl halftime in February. The spots featured models in scanty outfits playing football.

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Anyone got this on video? I've been away and never got to see it, but it sounds like something I'd love to see!

Scot

Hmmmm .... guess those whacko agencies weren't watching the Closing Ceremonies tonight! Wachovia ran a commercial consisting of two BMW 5-series cars (I think) road racing on wet city streets (sans traffic, of course).

I don't think Chevrolet used very good taste in using the boy.

It was a great ad! I saw it first on the Chevrolet website. These people need to get a sense of humor. It was a "FANTASY" sequence. It ended with the same kid holding his skateboard and the phrase "Every kid's dream". It was FANTASY.

I suppose the next ad to be pulled is the one with the new Sport something and the C6. In it the C6 flys by it like it's standing still. The ad ends with the Sport something driving by the C6 that has been pulled over by a cop. It ends with a "tortise and hare" comparison. It is a great ad, too.

It is amazing we ever reached aldulthood without all these Safety Groups to watch over us.

I only saw the add once during the olympics. It reminded me of myself when I was 12 or 13 dreaming of owning a Vett someday, you know the typical american guys dream. Maybe we'll be able to watch it at some underground theater somewhere. I thought we had a first Amendment!

I think it's a little much that they pulled it. Like a few of you said... it was a dream sequence. Like cartoons and kids shows don't have dream sequences.

Are the gonna pull the new Chevy Cobolt ad because it shows the Cobolt bumping the Corvette in front of it... which shows bad driving habits?