Robbo – he’s many things to many people. To some he’s a brickie, to others… a mountain climber. Some even know him as the president of the fishing club. But to the Ad Standards Community Panel, he is an unsafe and reckless driver.
Mazda’s ‘Give It heaps’ campaign for the Mazda BT-50 ute was the subject of a complaint issued to the Ad Standards Community Panel.
The panel, which functions as part of the advertising industry’s self-regulation, reviews and assesses complaints from the community about ads.
The complaint
The community panel met to rule on a complaint focused on the depiction of the driver safety showcased in the campaign:
“The advertisement encourages destructive and dangerous driving behaviour. The ad shows people discussing Robbo, who is apparently “a good bloke” but he drives dangerously fast on rough roads and along a beach at speed and in the water. No regard for shorebirds, other beach users, safety etc etc. It promotes extremely dangerous and careless driving behaviour.”
The findings
Through the process, the advertiser is given right of reply. It said that the focus of the commercial was not on Rob as much as it was focused on the capability of the car.
“The slogan for the campaign is “Give it heaps” referring to the car’s ability to handle some of the toughest conditions imposed by a driver. The Advertisement promotes the ability of the BT-50 to handle tough and adventurous conditions, terrain and activities and is targeted particularly at males aged between 18 and 49 years of age who may find themselves driving on the beach, through water or on rough roads, for example.
“The group’s admiration of Robbo and his driving reflects the positioning of the BT-50 as a tough and capable Ute known for its durability and reliability both on and off road. The depiction of Robbo driving the BT-50 on rough roads, along a beach and in the water is intended to showcase the capabilities and durability of the car to drive on these terrains and in these conditions if it is required. The Advertisement is not intended to encourage the audience to do the same in circumstances where it may be dangerous or illegal to do so.
“Mazda Australia is committed to conducting all advertising and promotions to the highest standards and takes any complaints in relation to our advertising and promotions very seriously.”
The advertiser went on to argue that the advertisement “did not in any way contravene the AANA Code of Ethics or the FCAI Motor Vehicle Advertising Code.”
The community panel’s decision
The panel panel upheld the complaint focused on Clause 2(a):
“Clause 2(a) – Advertisers should ensure that advertisements for motor vehicles do not portray unsafe driving, including reckless or menacing driving that would breach any Commonwealth law or the law of any State or Territory in the relevant jurisdiction in which the advertisement is published or broadcast dealing with road safety or traffic regulation, if such driving were to occur on a road or road-related area, regardless of where the driving is depicted in the advertisement.”
It came with the following guidance note:
“Advertisers should ensure that advertisements do not depict, encourage or condone dangerous, illegal, aggressive or reckless driving. Advertisers need to be mindful that excessive speed is a major cause of death and injury in road crashes and accordingly should avoid explicitly or implicitly drawing attention to the acceleration or speed capabilities of a vehicle. In particular, it is noted that use of disclaimers indicating that a particular scene or advertisement was produced under controlled conditions; using expert drivers; that viewers should not attempt to emulate the driving depicted; or expressed in other similar terms, should be avoided. Such disclaimers cannot in any way be used to justify the inclusion of material which otherwise does not comply with the provisions of the FCAI Code.”
The concern cited by the panel was that there was a scene showing the vehicle reversing on a worksite. It considered that a location like that would typically be a road or road related area, not an off-road setting. In the advertisement, the ute is seen reversing at speed, around a corner, with limited visibility. The panel determined that if driving like this was to take place on a worksite, it would pose a safety risk.
The result
The advertiser pulled the 30 second version of the ad and removed the reversing shot of the BT-50 reversing around a corner. A revised ad was issued with a side on shot of the BT-50 driving at a reduced speed (Robbo the safe-driving pragmatist). The revised advertisement has been playing on-air since 21 July 2025.
The other result? Mediaweek’s editor now kinda wants this ute…