Tuesday, February 01, 2005
VW threatens legal action over fake ad seen on Web
Source: Automotive News
Volkswagen AG is threatening legal action against the makers of a hoax Internet commercial that portrays a suicide bomber driving one of its Polo cars.
In the spot, a man who wears the same style of checked scarf made famous by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat jumps into a Polo. He drives around a city before blowing himself up inside the car. After the explosion, the terrorist is killed, but the car remains intact.
The short commercial plays on the long-running "small but tough" ad campaign for the Polo produced by the London office of the advertising agency DDB Worldwide. The fake commercial flew around the world via the Internet.
The automaker said in a statement: "Neither Volkswagen nor any agency acting on behalf of Volkswagen was involved in any way with the creation, production or distribution of this material. Volkswagen is reviewing legal steps against the initiators of this material."
The makers of the commercial are a duo known as Lee and Dan. They have previously made legitimate Internet and print ads for various companies, including Ford Motor Co.
Lee and Dan issued an apology for any offense they caused.
They did not return phone calls for comment.
The fake ad can be seen if you click here.
Volkswagen AG is threatening legal action against the makers of a hoax Internet commercial that portrays a suicide bomber driving one of its Polo cars.
In the spot, a man who wears the same style of checked scarf made famous by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat jumps into a Polo. He drives around a city before blowing himself up inside the car. After the explosion, the terrorist is killed, but the car remains intact.
The short commercial plays on the long-running "small but tough" ad campaign for the Polo produced by the London office of the advertising agency DDB Worldwide. The fake commercial flew around the world via the Internet.
The automaker said in a statement: "Neither Volkswagen nor any agency acting on behalf of Volkswagen was involved in any way with the creation, production or distribution of this material. Volkswagen is reviewing legal steps against the initiators of this material."
The makers of the commercial are a duo known as Lee and Dan. They have previously made legitimate Internet and print ads for various companies, including Ford Motor Co.
Lee and Dan issued an apology for any offense they caused.
They did not return phone calls for comment.
The fake ad can be seen if you click here.
# posted by HST Overdrive @ 2:47 PM 
