Irresponsible Advertising by Honda

[Thad E Ginathom]

I was interested to see a full-page Honda ad for the Jazz in today's Hindu. My interest turned to incredulity, and then anger.

This is the main copy:

Zip zap safe.
Why so serious?

The new Honda Jazz is here to set the standards in safety. But why should safe be staid? Why not let ABS set you free to step on it. Why not be carefree knowing that you're cared for by airbags. Why not let G-CON protect you while you live footloose and fancy free. Why worry when you can be happy? Why be so serious when there's just one life to zip through the fast lane?

Honda is saying that this is a safe car, so you can drive dangerously.

This is shocking, and criminally irresponsible.

In a country with decent control of advertising standards, I doubt that it would be allowed. I suspect Honda of cynically and purposely playing on the frequent Indian lack of safety conciousness.

I'm truly disgusted by this, and a company whose products I have always liked, respected and desired has just lost my respect.

[McLaren Rulez]

Hmm perhaps they should have thought out the phrasing a bit better but I doubt if they'll face any legal issues. Remember that Speed ad with Karthikeyan ripping an Optra through regular roads? That was way worse IMO

[GTO]

Why not let ABS set you free to step on it. Why not be carefree knowing that you're cared for by airbags.

Man, that's a guffaw! I don't believe a brand like Honda would encourage a "carefree" driving style or to "step on it", whether directly or indirectly. Probably isn't what they are trying to communicate, yet a PR disaster waiting to happen. Always gotta be ultra-cautious when communicating with the masses.

Heck, even Team-BHP does not permit content on a "carefree" driving style.

[bblost]

I had the exact same feelings when I saw the Full page Jazz advt in The Hindu.

Was wondering how the pedestrians will feel about such a car advt that promotes recklessness.

[narayan]

Yes- i think the wordings are not in the right spirit and seems to be suggesting what T-E-G says.

more than that - this would be the LAST CAR i would go for if i had that " theres just one life to zip past that fast lane" attitute !!

[asr245]

Wow! Looks like those 1000 orders are more like 300, that's why such irresponsible advertising. Such advertising... besides the price - do you have to ask why I am so serious?

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by bblost

Was wondering how the pedestrians will feel about such a car advt that promotes recklessness.

Why not cross the road haphazardly and jaywalk knowing that the Jazz has five star pedestrian protection?

[pradster]

The same ad shows up on the Hindustan times back page too. It seems like Honda is indeed acting like "The Joker" and promoting reckless conduct, that explains the tag line!

[bblost]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Why not cross the road haphazardly and jaywalk knowing that the Jazz has five star pedestrian protection?

This car's 5* pedestrian safety means nothing when a person is flung off it onto the 0 star medians in India.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by bblost

This car's 5* pedestrian safety means nothing when a person is flung off it onto the 0 star medians in India.

I was joking man. Anyway I don't even know if it has a five star rating for pedestrians

[Gansan]

I have read some ads and thought them absolute drivel before, but this takes the cake!

[srishiva]

Real bad advertising. Never would have expected something like this from Honda. Hope they don't put the same ad again anywhere.

[Thad E Ginathom]

One expects drivel in advertising; one expects some tall claims too, it is the nature of the beast, and the buyer spends their money and takes their choice, but this is far worse.

Why not let ABS set you free to step on it.

We don't have to look further than our own forum to see that many educated car enthusiasts have wrong ideas about what ABS does and does not do.

But hey! 4-year roadside assistance! I wonder how fast they get someone out to protect the driver who's ABS did not save the child or the elderly person in front of them?

[gitartha]

"WHY SO SERIOUS?"
This is the type of mentality that promotes reckless juvenile people to try drifting in an i-10 at 150kmph (ref-accidents in india thread).

Not all people who read ads like this are matured individuals or have the knowhow about the capabilities or limits of road legal vehicles.

Honda please note - safety of passengers as well as pedestrians is something that should be taken VERY SERIOUSLY.

Maybe the first part you have taken care of (abs-airbags-seatbelts-crumble zones), but also ensuring the latter part is your moral responsibility . Even a 5 * pedestrian safety rating does not guarantee full proof protection from a irresponsible non-SERIOUS driver.

Later on, no amount of financial compensation can bring back a limb or a loved one.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

In a country with decent control of advertising standards, I doubt that it would be allowed. I suspect Honda of cynically and purposely playing on the frequent Indian lack of safety conciousness.

I'm truly disgusted by this, and a company whose products I have always liked, respected and desired has just lost my respect.

First of all I am yet to see decent control over advertising. What you have seen is rubbish. Rather asking others to drive safely because there is only one life, why not live peacefully, they are encouraging people to drive carelessly. I think Honda is not the manufacturer to fall down to these levels, but probably the recent slump in sales of cars except City might have made them desperate to get more sales.

But there is no way one can control these ads. This is just even more bad than the earlier generation ad wars reminding me of Daewoo Matiz VS Hyundai Santro VS Ford Ikon VS Maruti Zen era. Hyundai was the worst to lead them all and Maruti was the one who was mostly well behaved. At that time standards did fall, but were limited to products and not driving styles in general.

This is certainly in bad taste. In the current era when accidents are increasing at an unprecedented rate, this ad must be banned.