Builders Academy ad slammed by ad watchdog for depicting unsafe work practices

NOW we know what builders really think of themselves. A “fantasy” ad featuring a construction worker as a Batman-style superhero has left those in the industry unimpressed.

WHAT were they thinking?

The advertising watchdog has upheld a complaint against a TV ad for a builder training company for depicting unsafe workplace behaviour.

The ad for Builders Academy Australia featured a character named Bob throwing a chisel like a knife, doing parkour and dual wielding nail guns like Neo in The Matrix.

The complaint to the Advertising Standards Bureau said: “The building and construction industry has a serious problem with safety caused by ‘cowboys’ leading to serious injury and death, and promotion of this behaviour I find objectionable.

“This ad blatantly promotes and encourages the most dangerous of behaviours that can actually kill people — things like throwing a sharp and dangerous chisel like a throwing knife or firing nail guns or trying ridiculous gymnastics in a workplace.

“This ad is supposed to sell a service that teaches young builders and apprentices how to build homes safely yet this ad shows the complete opposite, glorifying dangerous and stupid on-site behaviours that have killed too many people in the industry already.”

The ad went to air in September. At the time, Builders Academy CEO Mark McCoach said: “The ad is really different to anything else in the industry. It’s edgy, but it aligns perfectly with our audience. Our aim was to grab attention. I have full confidence it will generate many enquiries.”

In its response to the ASB, Builders Academy said the ad was not depicting a normal workplace. “It is a fantasy — our character is a superhero and the environment is a fictitious space constructed for the purpose of the ad.

“The comparison is Batman and Gotham City — a fantasy built on aspects of reality. The final scene, with Bob standing on a pedestal, confirms the surreal environment.

“The actions depicted are not dangerous to our character — because he is obviously not real. He is a superhero, and can therefore do things normal people can’t, such as defy gravity and shoot nails into beams of wood over distance.”

Still, the ASB upheld the claim. In response, Builders Academy has modified the ad by removing all instances where the nail gun is fired incorrectly.

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Originally published as Builders Academy ad slammed by ad watchdog for depicting unsafe work practices