My mole in Europe tells me the ad industry is having a bit of a hairy over the EU’s recent move to force all car ads to devote 20% of space to green credentials. It seems that hands have been sat on and now it’s red faces all round as ‘suddenly’ legislation looms large upon the horizon. Surely this is a storm that has been brewing for many a year? For once, however, as all things Brussels go, this is no typhoon in a teacup. There’s unprecedented unanimity and cross-border determination to see it through. Soon the makers of gas-guzzlers will have to come clean.
I shan’t state the obvious (well, I shall) that this is an opportunity to brawl on a battleground that is far more relevant to most consumers, but it does leave me wondering what all the fuss is about. “It will kill creativity!” Come off it. If we get fed some decent car ads instead of the low-cal visual platitudes and clichés that make up a normal night-in’s diet, then hurrah! Maybe I’ll stop throwing beer cans and pizza boxes at the telly.
(For a more detailed low-down on this subject, see this excellent article from Campaign: http://www.brandrepublic.com/InDepth/Analysis/766093/Close-Up-Live-issue---EUs-green-lobby-takes-aim-car-ads/ )
