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We’re in Naples, where a commercial was shot to advertise a men’s suit. No, not a leather suit, but a normal one with jacket and trousers. What's so strange about that? Nothing. The model is the star of the short video, along with the Ducati Panigale. So what, you say? Well, maybe you haven’t seen the commercial yet... The stuntman, on the Italian superbike, starts the video on a full wheelie down Via Marina, the famous (usually very busy) street that runs along the seafront and the port of Naples.
The street wasn’t closed off to traffic
The street was by no means closed off to traffic. In fact, you can see the cars that proceed along the same street behind the rider, and a gray one that’s turning onto it. As if that weren’t enough, the “rider” continues to wheelie across the pedestrian crossing. The commercial continues with some slow-motion images, where the model isn't on the bike as he shows off his double-breasted jacket, and then off he goes again, with another wheelie as the commercial ends.
This obviously intrigued passers-by, who saw the red bike whizzing along the seafront. That’s when the controversy started. The messages reached the Regional Councilor of Europa Verde, Francesco Emilio Borrelli. who commented: “They advertise a brand by wheelieing with a bike on a street that’s open to traffic. Is that right to do?" He then continued: “We understand that the video was made with the help of a professional rider and that all the necessary precautions and safety measures were probably taken, but it’s still not a track. It’s a public street that’s open to traffic. Besides road safety, what worries us is the message that could pass through this commercial. A message that follows a bit the trend that is taking place in a society where it seems that those who respect the rules are fools while those who continually break them are cool.”
Both Borrelli and the radio host of La Radiazza, Gianni Simioli, commented: “At least the motorcyclist in the commercial is wearing a helmet. That’s already something. We certainly don’t want to put a spoke in the wheel of brands, companies, and professionals who are trying to make up for what they lost during the crisis, but we have to respect the rules and have common sense by not miseducating. To those who do, we’re more than willing to lend a hand.”
