A business with some eye-catching advertising has sparked debate about whether it may have inadvertently broken the law.
Macchiato and Co. in Regents Park, in Sydney’s west, positioned a sign on the side of Park Road at nearby Berala encouraging drivers to pay them a visit this week.
‘Your caffeine limit has been checked. Turn left now,’ the sign read.
A passer-by snapped a picture of the advertising which featured a black-and-white police-style checker print along with a hi-vis strip on the top and bottom of the sign.
‘Clever, very clever,’ they wrote in a caption alongside the photo on Reddit.
Some commenters asked whether impersonating police signage is illegal in NSW.
NSW Police clearly define the proper usage of its ‘corporate brand’ in its Corporate Branding Policy and Standards document.
It is unclear if Macchiato and Co. are breaking the law however, as police never use a chequered pattern with four rows, which the café employs in its advert, and it also does not bear the police logo.
Macchiato and Co has raised eyebrows with its roadside advertisement in Sydney’s west
A passer-by posted a picture of the ad for the café (pictured) to Reddit where it garnered mixed reactions
Proper authorisation must be acquired in order to use any iconography that represents the NSW Police brand.
However, it appears that the brand must contain three components.
‘The police insignia (crest), logotype (‘NSW Police Force’), chequered band (Sillitoe tartan) and the word ‘police’ are collectively referred to as the Corporate Brand,’ it’s document states.
‘Any request to use the Corporate Brand outside the approved templates, or for any purpose other than its official use within the NSW Police Force, must be approved by the Public Affairs Branch.
‘The Corporate Communications Unit, Public Affairs Branch, must sight and approve the design and proposed use of the Corporate Brand in any artwork prior to its application.’
Many social media commenters did not mind the light bit of fun the cafe was having.
‘Not gonna lie, that’s actually pretty good cos usually that is a speed trap,’ one person said.
‘All they need now is a coffee camera held by some dude is brown vis directing them to turn in,’ a second added.
‘DONuT, DRINK and DRIVE,’ a third joked.
Unfortunately for the cafe it is illegal in NSW to copy police signage, including its chequered band (the checkered pattern seen in the photo above)
Others did not see the funny side of the advertisement and instead instructed the original poster to report the signage to their local council.
‘It’s illegal advertising,’ someone claimed.
‘Snap send solve to your local council.’
‘There’s restrictions on the use of the ‘police corporate branding’,’ another noted.
‘If that sign is seen by a cop having a bad day I’d hate to be that business.’
‘Yep, you’re right,’ the original poster responded.
‘While I only had a very brief review of the document, it explicitly mentions the chequered band, and is read to include any colour variations of the chequered band and not just blue & white… Caught my eye, despite having to stop at the traffic lights.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted NSW Police for comment.
