Burnout ads hit with UK ban

The UK advertising watchdog upholds complaints about Tube posters "likely to cause serious or widespread offence."

Following on from the furore surrounding the banning of Manhunt 2 and the previous outlawing of some Xbox 360 ads in April, the UK's Advertising Standards Agency has now ruled that posters promoting EA's Burnout Dominator pushed the boundaries of taste a little too far.

The industry standards body received complaints, which centered on two points. Firstly that the "reference to and the depiction of violence in the poster was offensive," and secondly that it was "likely to encourage violence, dangerous driving, and antisocial behaviour."

The poster itself, seen on London's subway system, showed a smashed-up car with the slogan "inner peace through outer violence." In response to the complaints, EA explained that the text and images were designed to portray the "consumer experience within the game environment" and that playing the game might help to relieve stress.

There had been some reservations expressed by the Committee of Advertising Practice (a body administered by the ASA to establish codes of conduct in the area), but EA had maintained that it thought people seeing the advertisement would be aware that it represented a game and wouldn't be taken seriously.

But following 37 complaints, the ASA decided that the text was too strong after all, and it has now stated that the "irresponsible" ad, which is no longer being displayed on the Tube, "must not reappear in its present form." EA has agreed to comply with the decision and has stated its intention to seek further advice from the CAP before any future advertising of the product.

There was no additional comment from EA on the matter as of press time.

48 Comments

  • gta4life247

    Posted Dec 30, 2007 2:14 am PT

    lol
    this is simply hilarious
    chiiil out and grab a cold drink or sumting

  • blue_mage1

    Posted Oct 6, 2007 2:08 am PT

    yeah... this is just stupid. one time they're banning manhunt then they're banning ads! some people need help these days...

  • Edman1

    Posted Sep 16, 2007 5:08 am PT

    WTF? I dun live in London but who actaully cares about a poster for Burnout Paradise anyway? Lets face it, the game wouldn't be interesting if it had 'Magical pixie cars and confetti' on it wouldn't it? I think they people who made complaints should actaully GET a life instead of whinging over some poster put up in the subway advertising Burnout Paradise. But, in a good way, they can go back to watching The Bill and be bored stiff until they can complain about something else. So, kind of a blessing in dusguise I suppose, considerin they'll shut up for a while

  • Robert-ace

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 1:58 pm PT

    WOW, a whole 37 complaints! I guess thats why anything remotely interesting or fun is banned nowadays.
    I still think its a great slogan

  • sxeserriph

    Posted Jul 1, 2007 5:00 pm PT

    uhh....DOWN WITH THE MAN!!! YEARGHHH!

  • icarus212001

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 5:32 pm PT

    some ppl have a LOT of time on their hands

  • KOSMOSEngineer

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 4:08 pm PT

    While I agree with all of you, there's a certain unfairness in all of this. IF Burnout happened to be a Sony game and used the same ad, everyone would be saying that Sony's too cocky and they deserved this for putting up this ad.

    (And yes, I know the white psp ad was out of line, that's not the one I'm talking about)

  • killarse

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 8:12 am PT

    This is another attempt by the government to have more control over you. First they ban it, then they will set up a task force to control it, then they'll tax you for it. And soon we'll all be playing Barney games.

  • psymon_05

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 5:03 am PT

    What kind of a loser complains about that?

  • pfuture5

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 5:24 pm PT

    RIDICULOUS

  • gkclassof2005

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 4:34 pm PT

    all these bans and lawsuits are gettin rediculous...

  • zombie_hellspaw

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 2:18 pm PT

    the advertising standards agency in the UK is really senceative about complants, some ads have been removed beacuse they literaly got 2 complaints. Its sad i know

  • furius51

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 12:18 pm PT

    WTf is just a game of races

  • shrink45

    Posted Jun 29, 2007 8:57 am PT

    I agree Blade_of_Athens! This is all a sh*load of bullf*ck! It's f*cking lame and f*cking f*ck! #$!@%* @$%!# #@$!!@#%$ !@%$%^!!!

  • RoC1909

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:22 pm PT

    Yup, similar to the Ford Edge commercial. It shows a car driving on the side of a building. Now, am I to take that as this car now has the ability to 'defy gravity'??? It's a shame since there are so many stupid people that inhabit the planet, Ford had to create in small print a sentence that states that this vehicle CANNOT really drive like this. It's also unfortunate that Ford has to be held liable for MORONS who might attempt to drive their vehicle off the side of a building and if they survive the fall, they want to SUE the manufacturer for 'false advertising'. Can we not in this day and age find the 'MISSING GENE' in people that precludes the use of common sense?? And if so, do something with these individuals....preferably something drastic!!

    Moral of the story:

    Let's not be held accountable for our OWN actions. Let's blame someone else for being stupid!

  • Bigboss232

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 6:41 pm PT

    lol nice lamprey nice.

  • storm1110

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 5:51 pm PT

    ROFLMAO! good one Ghostmeister! and its SO true, i think we should too!!!

  • ERoBB

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 3:08 pm PT

    A racing game.....? When will it end?

  • kalkhaja

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 2:50 pm PT

    Who the heck would "be influenced to drive dangerously" or "act antisocially" because of a game poster?

    "Ooh, that poster looks nice "*acts antisocially and drives like a manic*

  • StarfoxmCloud

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 2:32 pm PT

    lol lamprey263, awesome post

  • sectorzero

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 1:59 pm PT

    lamprey263, that was the greatest single post ever.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 1:48 pm PT

    In other news, the US Congress is mandating that all films depicting people driving on the left side of the road undergo a censory edit to horizontally flip the image to reinforce national driving regulations. Proponents of the measure advocate that these films' influences lead to reckless driving amongst viewers of such films. While it has not been determined how many accidents are caused by people driving on the wrong side of the road, self-proclaimed experts estimate that the nation's annual tolls could be in the billions. Despite lacking concrete data to support this measure, many in Congress feel the risks are too high to wait several years for research results.

  • ghostmeister

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 12:29 pm PT

    Wow. if 37 complaints is all it takes, I think we should club together and complain about another completely inoffensive advert.

  • lim_ak

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:44 am PT

    I think that the weird thing about this is that it took a whole 37 complaints in order to get it pulled, now I don't know how long these ads have been up for but that seems like a rather measly amount of people considering the number of people that use the Tube.

  • CyphenX

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 10:44 am PT

    I agree with this. There's nothing wrong with the game, but the add might ahve been a tad too offensive. Sure, the average human being like you or I is perfectly fine with this, but the add is seen by all, so it's got to take a few more things into account.

  • Blade_of_Athens

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 9:37 am PT

    WOW this is all a load of bullsh*t. They went mentally insane with the whole ban thing after the Manhunt 2 scene, and now an add for a f*ck*ng racing game thats rated E10 is getting banned? WOW some1 should sireously fire these b*st*rds...

  • death1505921

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 9:28 am PT

    DOn't these people have anything better to do than write letters of complaints to companies? Seriously, to write a proper letter and/or get through to someone on the phone would take like half hour. Don't they have anything better to do with that half hour?

  • MoeGreen07

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 8:35 am PT

    Political Incorrectness gone mad!
    Thats all i'm saying
    Next they'll be banning mario cos its racist to italian plumbers

  • haloj

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 7:01 am PT

    That's a shame, I quite liked those adverts. Beats most of the dross that is displayed in the underground.

  • aus_pride

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 4:25 am PT

    LOL HibSoldier

  • HibsSoldier

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 3:27 am PT

    This is getting rediculos, do they wanna wipe our arse while their at it?

  • pandaramaster

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 1:30 am PT

    This is getting out of hand. So it's okay to show rotten limbs, broken teeth, naked women, people with hooks through their mouths; but no cars that are getting crushed? Okay, I don't understand that logic.

  • ApocalypseBlue

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 1:12 am PT

    Putting the ad elsewhere (e.g. games magazines) would probably have been fine, but to put an ad with a tagline like "Inner peace through outer violence" in the London Underground where, not too long ago, there were bombings and a "suspected bomber" (who was unarmed and innocent btw) got held down and shot by police is possibly ever so slightly tactless.

  • a_delorentis

    Posted Jun 28, 2007 12:31 am PT

    I agree with the ASA. "inner peace through outer violence." sounds like the mantra for a psychotic bludgeoner of puppies and small children.

    I mean - on an advert? C'mon you idiots - its a game, stop using high english and innuendo, gamers don't need it and it only gets you in trouble.

    Why not something like: 'Smash. Crash. Burn.' or summat like that.

  • Zaxex

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:48 pm PT

    Burnout Kicks ass, but it doesn't promote inner peace. Ban the advert if anything, leave the game alone.

  • AnFangs_Endes

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:44 pm PT

    looks like the first domino was knocked over when Manhunt 2 was banned; to game restrictions being FURTHERLY harsh that is.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:18 pm PT

    Sounds fair. It does sound like an anti-social ad.

  • 345669

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:10 pm PT

    A Little over the top, ASA should be more understanding...

  • Shadowdude530

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 8:38 pm PT

    im not a big burnout fan by any means but people 2 cars crashing wtf?

  • vaejas

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 6:37 pm PT

    I think a better slogan might be "Up in yo' grill!"

    but EA had maintained that it thought people seeing the advertisement would be aware that it represented a game,

    No.

  • ksu1212

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 6:26 pm PT

    Anybody feel that this is getting out of control? how can this crap happens i don't understand. There is nobody to tell those ppl to do something better with their time, like get a real job.

  • Winsauce

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 6:25 pm PT

    Just wait for when gamers strike back!

    Someday!

    Just wait and see!

  • westsidejedi360

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 6:17 pm PT

    wat happened to the good ol' days when the only time when politics and games mixed was when you had to kill fake terrorists in a fake country ruled by a fake dictator

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 6:03 pm PT

    lol thats sad

  • GaseousSnake007

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 5:46 pm PT

    Dumb people with nothing better to do than complain about everything game related strike again.

  • death_burnout

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 5:46 pm PT

    yeah heheheh pretty much....it was declared slightly a while back now

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 5:45 pm PT

    This is getting more ridiculous by the day

  • DeepCoalMiner

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 5:43 pm PT

    WTF with all the banning? Jeeez, its like a war on gaming has been declared.

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