Twix advert banned as watchdog orders it be immediately pulled from TV and never be shown again

Twix advert banned for encouraging unsafe driving
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Solen Le Net

By Solen Le Net


Published: 11/06/2025

- 10:35

Updated: 12/06/2025

- 17:54

The advertisement has attracted several complaints alleging it encourages irresponsible driving

A television advertisement for Twix chocolate bars has been banned after concerns it promoted dangerous driving behaviour.

The commercial, banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, depicted a dramatic car chase sequence culminating in an unusual stunt where two vehicles became stacked together, mimicking the confectionery's distinctive twin-bar structure.


The advertisement attracted five formal complaints alleging it encouraged irresponsible driving practices.

The sequence showed a man with flowing hair engaged in high-speed pursuit before the fantastical climax where his vehicle and an identical caramel-coloured car merged vertically, creating a visual representation of the chocolate bar's layered composition.

TWIX AD STILL

The advertisement attracted five formal complaints

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Mars-Wrigley, the confectionery giant behind Twix, defended the advertisement as having a "cinematic presentation" set in a "world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality".

The company maintained that "the cars were shot driving at lawful speeds and any emulation would only reflect the legal and safe driving presented".

Clearcast, the organisation responsible for pre-broadcast approval of advertisements, supported this position.

The body told the ASA that the video's style clearly indicated it "wasn't meant to be emulated nor did it suggest safe driving was boring".


Mars emphasised that Twix's brand identity centres on absurd and playful humour, which the advertisement reflected.

However, the ASA rejected these arguments, ruling the advertisement "must not appear again" in its current form because it "condoned unsafe driving".

The watchdog acknowledged the fantastical nature of the stunt but focused on the initial chase sequence, which showed driving "that appeared likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code".

The ASA specifically noted there was an "emphasis on speed", including with "fast-paced beat and music" during the pursuit.

The authority also highlighted "visible skid marks" left on the road as evidence of dangerous driving depicted in the commercial.

TWIX BAR

Mars emphasised that Twix's brand identity centres on playful humour

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The advertisement's conclusion featured a Twix bar dropping through the sunroofs of the conjoined vehicles before they drove away whilst still attached, accompanied by the tagline "two is more than one".

In its final ruling, the ASA instructed Mars "not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads".

The watchdog's decision means the commercial cannot be broadcast again without significant modifications to address the safety concerns.

Mars also owns other popular confectionery brands including M&Ms, Celebrations and Maltesers.