The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2026
BYD's skijoring SUV ad — skiing behind a skidding car — ruled reckless
A BYD Sealion 7 ad showed a skier towed behind a car skidding in snow; RON ruled it glorified a dangerous activity.
BYD Sweden AB · 2026-06-16
What happened
A 16-second YouTube ad for the BYD Sealion 7 SUV showed a person skiing (skijoring) behind an SUV as it skidded across a snowy surface.
The spot played the song 'Too Cool to Care' by Where's Lulu and carried a small disclaimer reading 'Filmat under kontrollerade former på avstängd bana med professionella förare' — filmed in controlled conditions on a closed track with professional drivers.
The Reklamombudsmannen's Opinion Board (RON) found the ad described a dangerous activity without a pedagogical justification. The disclaimer did not change the fact that the average consumer would understand the message as encouraging the activity.
The board ruled the ad was designed without due sense of social responsibility, breaching Article 1 of the ICC Code, and that it depicted dangerous behaviour, breaching Article 21.
Why it happened
- A stunt car skidding with a skier behind it reads as a how-to, not a safely staged demo
- A small disclaimers could not undo the image of a person risking harm behind a car
- The point of the ad was excitement, and excitement was exactly what the rule exists to stop
The lesson
A disclaimer cannot carry a stunt. If the image itself shows a dangerous activity, text buried in the corner will not convince a regulator that the ad is sober.
Aftermath
The Reklamombudsmannen's Opinion Board (RON) found the BYD Sealion 7 spot breached Articles 1 and 21 of the ICC Code. The disclaimer did not rescue a visual that glamorised a dangerous activity.
Sources
spotted an error? The club wants to know.
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