Ford of India in Hot Water Over Figo Ads
Ford of India is garnering considerable attention with new print advertisements for its Figo hatchback, though this certainly is not the type of press the automaker wants.
The ads, produced by its advertising partner JWT India, depict women bound and gagged in the back of the Figo hatchback, something that isn’t exactly playing nicely in the Indian culture.
The tagline for the ads is “Leave your worries behind,” which, while clever, could have been depicted in a much classier fashion. At the center of controversy are the ads that involve women bound up in the back. One of which shows former Italian primer minister Silvio Berlusconi with scantily clad women bound and bundled in the rear. The second shows heiress Paris Hilton with the Kardashian trio family tossed in the rear. The third features Michael Schumacher stuffing F1 stars Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton into the back of the Figo.
Ford India has issued a statement regarding the advertisements, stating that they “deeply regret this incident and agree with our agency partners that it should have never happened.”
Timing also couldn’t be worse, as this comes on the heels of the Indian parliament passing the Anti-Rape legislation, hoping to curb sexual violence in the country.
GALLERY: Ford Figo Advertisements
[Source: IndianCarsBikes]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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