The NZ Fire Service complained to the Advertising Standards Authority, saying an ad showing a person on fire was not socially responsible and was unsafe. Photo / File
A television ad for V Energy Drink showing a man on fire has been pulled after complaints from members of the public and the Fire Service.
The ad "We Gave Art a V" showed a man on fire holding a flaming piece of art work. The man fell through a
wall and the fire was put out by another man with a fire extinguisher.
The NZ Fire Service complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), saying an ad showing a person on fire was not socially responsible and depicting a crowd watching the scene as entertainment was unsafe.
The Fire Service said the 30 second advertisement looked real and did not contain humour or appear to be fictitious and featured a man asking whether there had ever been a fire in the art gallery before, implying the possibility of arson.
The ASA also received a complaint from a person who had a relative die in a fire and found the portrayal of a person on fire offensive. The complainant also said the advertisement made a mockery of the Fire Service's campaign to prevent fires and deaths.
