Advertising, ad campaigns, ad agencies, and the people that make it happen

Big stink coming out of London at the moment because the Suzuki Car Company has been rapped by the advertising watchdog for adding in a four-letter swear word to a TV spot after it had been cleared for broadcast, despite a claim by the agency that the extra audio simply sounds like a rude word. The TV ad for the Suzuki Vitara, created by Nexus/H, showed different people driving Vitaras with a rock version of the song 'What a Wonderful World' playing in the background and the drivers singing along. Apparently a couple of viewers with Krypotonite hearing aids complained that they could hear a voice at the end saying "I f***ing love you". The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre said the version of the ad it cleared did not have any words at the end, only laughter. What’s so pathetic about the whole episode is that the spot sucks… Nothing to do with the so-called obscenity at the end… It’s just another same-old, same-old spot of cars dashing around with happy people having outrageous fun in cliché situations… Why doesn’t someone complain about that? Oh, and I listened to the ad here… And couldn’t hear any swearing, just dumb people singing dumb songs in yet another dumb car commercial.

What a wonderful world... Glug... Glug... Glug!