Good news, sung quietly. Following up on a story from last week, where car manufacturers and advertising executives went to Brussels to protest against plans to make emissions information mandatory on all car ads, the news is: they failed.
At least in the UK. What this means is that this:
Changes to this:
The word du jour, as both Sian Berry (Green Party, Alliance against 4x4s) and Friends of the Earth, who campaigned on the issue, note, is “emblazoned”. This is the ruling, sent by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI):
“The Regulations define ‘promotional literature’ as ‘all printed matter used in the marketing, advertising and promotion of a new passenger car…’. We are of the view that this definition does include material which is largely graphical, with limited textual content (perhaps containing only the model name and an advertising slogan). We therefore consider that street advertisements are subject to the requirements of the regulations.”
Good work. Shows what can be done with application and an inside to the law.
PS.
I spotted an advert for Volvo on the St Peter’s bridge earlier (Sunderland, over the Wear) with a strapline “put your carbon foot down”, off to take a picture. Photos here courtesy of the campaign site, AdvertiseCO2.co.uk
Popularity: 37% [?]
