A TV advert for chocolate bar Twix featuring a car chase has been banned for encouraging unsafe driving.
The ad, which depicts a shows a pursuit involving two identical caramel-coloured cars, ends with a crash resulting in one sandwiched on top of the other, like a Twix.
But five complaints were made against the advert saying it encourage dangerous driving and was irresponsible.
Mars Wringley, who own Twix, insisted the it had a “cinematic presentation” and was set in a “absurd” and “fantastical” world which was removed from reality.
The confectionary company argued the advert was split into two parts. The first part had a good versus bad theme, reminiscent of classic films. The cars were shot driving at lawful speeds and any emulation would only reflect the legal and safe driving presented, the explained.
They said they had removed identifiers of the real world from the road scenes, including vehicles, pedestrians, or road signage, to distance the setting from reality. The second part of the ad, a dual car performing a stunt that defied physics, depicted a scenario that was clearly exaggerated and not possible in reality.
This argument was also echoed by Clearcast, the non-governmental organisation that approves adverts.
However, the watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the ad "condoned unsafe driving” and “must not appear again” in its current form.
Although the ASA acknowledged the fantastical nature of the advert, it said the first half of the video showed driving "that appeared likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code".
It added there was an “emphasis on speed” in the car chase, it had "fast paced beat and music" and showed "visible skid marks" left on the road.
The ASA said: “The driving manoeuvres featured would be dangerous and irresponsible if emulated in real life on a public highway.”
The final scene of the advert shows a Twix bar falling through the sunroofs of the two cars which are sandwiched together, before driving off still attached, with the tagline “two is more than one”.
For this part of the advert Clearcast told the ASA that the style of the video made it clear it wasn't meant to be emulated, nor did it suggest "safe driving was boring."
The advertising watchdog concluded: “The ads must not appear again in their current form.
“We told Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK Ltd not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads.”
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