HOLDEN'S gaff which had Aussie caravanners hopping mad and scrambling
to complain to the advertising watchdog is still making international
headlines.
Canada's CBC News recently ran a story highlighting five of the worst
advertisements in the world, and they included the car manufacturer's
infamous TV ad which brought howls of protest from grey nomads and other
RVers last year.
"What bothered viewers was the liberal use of the words 'bloody
caravanners'," Canada's nationwide news service explained.
"The Australian Advertising Standards Bureau received 161 complaints about
the use of 'bloody' in the ad.
"It dismissed the complaints, but Holden wisely removed the word anyway."
Within hours of the controversial 30-second ad appearing on Australian
television screens, outraged caravanners contacted Caravanning News
to protest, accusing the giant car manufacturer of portraying them
in a bad light.
The ad showed one caravanner in a brand new 4WD Colorado 7, towing an
equally flash Jayco Silverline RV, shaking his outstretched hand and
muttering "bloody caravanners" as he came up behind a slower and much
older caravan ‒ a sentiment echoed by his young son sitting behind him.
His rant came after he had been shown hauling the non-offroad Jayco at
breakneck speed along deserted dirt tracks and through fast flowing creeks
before swinging the rig onto the bitumen ... only to be confronted by the
leisurely grey nomad.
Caravanners told Caravanning News they were disgusted with the ad
and accused Holden of discrediting them.
"It totally lacks integrity," complained 76-year-old grey nomad Cyril
Hatherton from New South Wales.
"We already cop enough flak without having to suffer this from an
organisation which should know better."
Holden later apologised to caravanners, saying the ad was "all very tongue
in cheek".
"Obviously we did not want to offend anyone," it said.
