Ford India apologizes for sexist advertising drawings
Ford India has apologized for sexist advertising illustrations. «We deeply regret this incident and agree with our agency partners that this should never have happened,» the automaker said in a statement released on Monday.
The large Indian advertising agency JWT had designed the cartoon advertisement for Ford. At the weekend, it appeared on the Internet without the car company's consent. A drawing showing several bound women in the trunk of a Ford Figo, with the grinning Italian head of government Silvio Berlusconi at the wheel, had caused particular outrage. Above it was the slogan: "Leave your worries behind with Figo's extra-large trunk".
India has been hit by several gang rapes in recent months.
shocked. In December, a young female student in New Delhi was so brutally abused and tortured that she died a few days later. The incident sparked days of protests in India against violence against women.
Other advertising images for the Ford campaign included the tied-up Formula 1 drivers Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso being driven by an amused Michael Schumacher.
The "posters contradict the standards of professionalism and decency" of Ford and its partners, the carmaker explained.
The WPP Group, to which the advertising agency JWT belongs, apologized for the incident and explained that the drawings were not intended as advertisements. They should "never have been made, let alone uploaded to the Internet". The annoying incident was the work of individuals and the company had responded with "appropriate measures". (SDA)
Teaser image: Spiegel.de
