The Volkswagen Group’s advertising is under fire once again as critics have suggested Audi has sexualized a little girl in one of its promos.
The ad was tweeted on Sunday and showed a child leaning up against the grille of an RS4 Avant while eating a banana. The tweet was accompanied by a message saying “Lets your heart beat faster – in every aspect.”
While the ad seems pretty harmless, it sparked a firestorm of internet criticism as some users saw it as sexually suggestive. Others defended the ad including one who said, “Anyone who sees a phallic symbol in the banana in the hand of a child should definitely see a psychiatrist.”
Also Read: VW Golf Ad Pulled After Being Called Racist, Treating Blacks As Puppets
https://twitter.com/AudiOfficial/status/1289848460368257033
That wasn’t the only issue with the ad as users also complained it showed a child in danger. In particular, one person tweeted, “Nice that you show how children can easily be killed by your cars.” Those sentiments were echoed by some others including one who said “It’s just tasteless. Child in front of the grille, who could hardly be seen from the driver’s seat.”
While we’re not inclined to agree with the criticism, Audi capitulated and posted an apology the following morning. In a series of tweets, the company said “We hear you and let’s get this straight: We care for children.” The company went on to say the RS4 Avant is a family car and that’s why they have been showcasing various family members in the ad campaign.
We hear you and let’s get this straight: We care for children. The Audi RS 4 is a family car with more than thirty driver assistance systems including an emergency break system. That’s why we showcased it with various family members for the campaign. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/XAeIjszUWQ
— Audi (@AudiOfficial) August 3, 2020
As reported by the BBC, the automaker went on to describe the ad as a “mistake” and “sincerely apologize for this insensitive image.” They also promised an internal review to see how the campaign was created and if “control mechanisms failed in this case.”
The outcry comes just a few months after an ad promoting the 2020 Volkswagen Golf was decried as racist. In that video, a white hand treated a black person as a puppet and eventually flicked them into a restaurant called “Petit Colon” which translates into “Little Colonist.” If that wasn’t bad enough, the “Der Neue Golf” tagline faded in such a way that it spelled “neger” which is the “German equivalent of the n-word.”
We sincerely apologize for this insensitive image and ensure that it will not be used in future. We will also immediately examine internally, how this campaign has been created and if control mechanisms failed in this case. (3/3)
— Audi (@AudiOfficial) August 3, 2020