Amid protests from the membership of the National Association of Pupil Transportation, Nissan Motors was driven to curb a commercial that depicted a school bus driver irresponsibly drag racing a father en route to school.
In an issued statement, Dan Bedore, director of communications for Nissan North America, Inc., believed the “commercial was intended to tell a story an irreverent and entertaining way.”
The NAPT, along with its members, including the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, thought differently, insisting that the company cease airings.
Eventually, Nissan relented and responded to the barrage of complaints by quickly removing the ad from all its national and regional advertising rotations.
“We realize that our attempt at humor has been perceived as a slight to those people who do an honorable and invaluable service to their communities,” said Bedore.
The commercial in question, called “Miss the Bus,” depicts a father racing to school against what is conceivably his son’s school bus. According to the NAPT, it’s outraged over the portrayal was because it painted the wrong picture about one of the country’s safest system of mass transportation.
“This is all around a really bad message to the motoring public, and is one that should not be accepted,” said Mike Martin, executive director for NAPT.
Martin cited the pride he and others share for the industry, warning that any company that tries to portray the iconic school bus in a potentially damaging fashion should expect resistance.
“Any advertiser that seeks to promote itself with messaging that negatively impacts the school bus brand, especially if it is disrespectful to school bus drivers, is on notice that we are ready, willing and able to do something like this again,” said Martin.
Bedore reported that the commercial was not a bid to offend those dedicated to the service of transporting children safely. “School bus drivers are entrusted with our nation’s most precious resources, our children,” he said.
The controversial ad was for the Nissan Altima, a mid-sized vehicle that was the second most-sold car in 2011.
“In my opinion, the reckless driving promoted in this commercial doesn’t impress me or even entice me as a consumer to buy a Nissan Altima,” said Martin.
