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Transport: a Dutch bicycle brand considers itself censored for its anti-car advertising

2020-07-01T21:08:34.773Z


While cycling is booming in France, the Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority (ARPP) refused a spot from a constr


Censorship or not? The Dutch manufacturer of electric bikes VanMoof on Tuesday denounced an opinion from the French advertising regulatory authority asking it to modify a spot deemed anti-car.

This announcement caused a debate on the social networks in full boom of the use of the bicycle in France in particular in Paris, and in full push of the ecological ideas whereas the pressure increases to reduce the place of the automobile in city. In the capital, the Covid-19 health crisis has boosted sales of electric bikes.

The spot broadcast without problems in Germany

The advertising spot, authorized and already broadcast in the Netherlands and Germany, where the automotive sector plays a large role in the economy, depicts images reflected on the bodywork of a sports car. Old smokestacks of smoking factories, traffic jams, an accident are awarded, then the car liquefies to make room for a brand bicycle.

It's time for greener cities. It's time for air cleaner. It's time to ride the future. The new electric VanMoof S3 & X3. pic.twitter.com/BAuLXaz9Pr

- VanMoof (@VanMoof) June 10, 2020

VanMoof suspects the Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority (ARPP) of defending the interests of the automotive industry.

“The ARPP's decision is quite disturbing. It pushes us to question the legitimacy of this body which apparently defends the interests of certain sectors and also of certain companies, said Alfa-Claude Djalo, responsible for the company's public relations. We have the feeling of having been censored. "

On his blog, the Dutch manufacturer refers to the ARPP's refusal of a campaign by Greenpeace and another by Doctors of the World on the exorbitant cost of certain drugs.

"To bring the automobile sector into disrepute"

VanMoof has no plans to appeal or take the matter to court. The company “prefers to give public visibility” to what it “considers as a drift”.

"Some plans in the reflection of the car appear, in our opinion, disproportionate and bring the entire automotive sector into disrepute by blaming it alone (...) while creating an anxiety-provoking climate. They must therefore be modified, ”wrote the ARPP in a letter.

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This authority invokes the "ICC code of advertising and marketing of the International Chamber of Commerce" which "prohibits any exploitation of the feeling of fear or suffering in commercial advertisements".

VanMoof refuses to water down the video

"We refuse to make any changes, because we don't want to distort our video and make it a watered-down version that would please the French automotive industry," explains the company's public relations manager.

“From the start, we knew that this spot would not be an ordinary advertisement for bikes. It is a call to action, a chance to leave the past behind and make real progress that benefits everyone. Challenging the status quo will always be in conflict, but that has been our goal from the start, "said Taco Carlier, co-founder of VanMoof, quoted in a statement.

"Free advertising", denounces the regulatory authority

“For the broadcasting of a television advertisement, the ARPP delivers a systematic notice before broadcasting (24,320 notices in 2019). But in the end, dissemination responsibility falls to the media and platforms, ”explains Stéphane Martin, director general of ARPP. "This is why the instrumentalization of censorship is only an artifact well known to certain actors to have free advertising," he accuses.

A 1901 law association independent of public authorities, the ARPP is funded by contributions from 800 member companies. It is administered by representatives of the advertising professions (advertisers, agencies, media, advertising media, etc.). "Three quarters of the first 100 advertisers investing in communication are members of the ARPP," it said on its website.

Source: leparis

All business articles on 2020-07-01

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