Aw hell, here we go again. Hyundai is pulling its spot called "Restless" after the Advertising Standards Bureau of Australia banned it. The ad, which appeals to people's warm, gooey centers by adultifying toddlers, shows a baby snatching the keys to the Santa Fe and hitting the highway. Along the way, he picks up a girl who happens to be hitching to the beach. He surfs, she watches, world hunger and strife are nearly wiped out in the span of sixty seconds. It's a great spot and was voted the most popular ad in New Zealand last year (what a dubious distinction!)
The ASB argues that the ad shows illegal activity (and there's nothing else on TV that shows illegal stuff?), and may entice youngsters into copycat behavior. Right. Like nobody in the history of the car ever had a kid yank the controls before this ad suggested it? Kids love to pretend like they're adults, so you can be sure that if you plop your toddler in the driver's seat, they're going to have a grand old time. Not that there's much watchable content on television anymore, but these situations go beyond the ridiculous and will just lead to more whitewashed, mamby-pamby crap for us to have to sit through. What's next, banning talking animal spots because no animal really talks? Come on people! There's got to be a more fulfilling pursuit than getting all wadded up over an ad - this is one of the most harmless, charming spots we've seen in a while.
We just don't get it, but apparently there's a large contingent out there who yearns to be protected from themselves. Life is no fun if you don't collect a few bumps and scrapes. Yes, I drove mom's '68 Rambler into the garage and out into the street a couple times as a kid. I couldn't help it - that column shift was just asking for it!
Thanks for the tip, Anton!
Check out the spot after the jump
[Source: duncans.tv]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
BLS @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:21PM
That was incredably cute.
Tiago do Vale @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:33PM
Kids love to pretend that they are adults...
But they are not as DUMB as adults: they know they are pretending.
Is eveybody going crazy, in the US? Can one do anything nowadays?
Yayaja @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:38PM
I think we are seeing the beginnings of a new advertisement strategy. Its so simple! Make a risky commercial that you know will get banned and show it on tv. Once it does get banned, millions of people from around the world will go to you tube just to watch it. It's Brilliant! You are force feeding advertisements to people, and it won't even cost you any bandwidth! Hyundai should be celebrating that it's ad got taken down because now more people will attentively watch it on you tube then ever could on regular TV.
Deezee @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:42PM
Are they serious?! Theres nothing wrong with that commercial.
I mean look at it rationally, Even if a kid did copy that behavior he wouldn't be able to reach the pedals. And she wouldn't be able to write "west coast" on the cardboard.
Use some common sense.
Mike @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:51PM
You might have a point Yayaja. People might think its cute when they see it on tv, but more than likely not give a second thought after seeing it. But once its pulled off the air for something stupid it gets people buzzing, and than their willingly watching a commercial they would normally just chuckle at and move on.
FrankTheCrank @ Feb 23rd 2007 2:56PM
What a cute wittle baby!
ruggels @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:00PM
I'm all about squashing commercials who want us to remember what fun it was to be kids, that's horrid!!!
O_o
Steve H @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:09PM
Gotta love that aussie pronunciation of Hyundai.
Steve @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:15PM
Everybody may or may not have gone crazy in the US.
However, that's completely irrelevant since this whole thing went down in AUSTRALIA.
Thanks for stopping by and bashing the US in your free time, though.
Adam @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:27PM
RHARAAARH!!! ARGH! I CAN'T TAKE THIS CRAP ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
mk @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:40PM
Welcome to the new UN Ministry of Free Speech, where we decide which speech should be free throughout the world.
Please refrain from requesting a copy of the bylaws and criteria, they change too often to be written down.
And when in doubt, count on the fact that you need to be censored and re-educated from whatever thought you happened to be having.
George Orwell would be so proud that he can now be called a prophet of humanity...
mr.ed @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:50PM
I think it's cute, to. But...all it takes is one kid who kills/maims somebody doing this, and whose attorney persuades a jury that the kid's actions were inspired by the commercial. His/her parents will own a big chunk of Hyundai.
Bryan @ Feb 23rd 2007 3:54PM
Cute kids, but its a Hyundai..who cares? You can put kids in a Ridgeline..is it going to make them sell more? No? Is it going to make younger kids like it? heck no. They probably helped hyundai lol..or He-yun-di. Honestly though, in theory it could make kids want to go steal mommy or daddy's car, but heck, I did it when I was 15 and I didn't need a commercial to give me the idea! DJ did it on Roseanne, did we hear about a rash of children stealing their parents cars? NO! Kids are going to do what they want, regardless if you are a good parent or not. And yes I had good parents, just bad friends lol.
Tiago do Vale @ Feb 23rd 2007 4:37PM
Ooops! Australia? I would expect it from the US -from previous and so incredibly frequent examples- but not from Australia... :s
Not good.
justkidding @ Feb 23rd 2007 4:43PM
"What's next, banning talking animal spots because no animal really talks?"
Well, that's easy for you to say. I have to take my dog to the therapist every time he sees a Taco Bell commercial with the talking Chihuahua.
Big jim @ Feb 23rd 2007 4:57PM
never going see this one in the USA
Christine @ Feb 23rd 2007 5:29PM
I love it. Best commerical ever.
chris @ Feb 23rd 2007 6:09PM
Australian TV is certainly not as conservative as American TV, however our commercials are for some strange reason. It's illegal to show a car doing over 100km/h in a commercial here, even if it's a sports car driving around a race track, because of course it encourages speeding on public roads... A Holden commercial was banned a little while ago because it showed a Commodore Ute doing donuts in the desert to make Tornados (which was the name of the special edition car) because it 'encourages burnouts on public streets'. Totally acceptable and safe car commercials are banned all the time here, it's insane.
Atomicbri @ Feb 23rd 2007 10:39PM
Aww a good commercial! I don't find it at all offensive! What kid hasn't wished to grab keys and go? I know I did when I was little! But did I ever really do it? Hell no. I smarter than that. I agree with poster #3 however, with a hint of the word banned attached, it becomes one of the most watched things on the internet. Which is great advertising.
Galley @ Feb 24th 2007 7:39AM
I thought it was great until the crappy CGI surfing.