Volkswagen POLO ad sparks public outrage

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Volkswagen POLO ad sparks public outrage [Copy link]

Some time ago, several billboards for the new "POLO" car of Shanghai Volkswagen appeared in Xidan subway station in Beijing. The slogan at the bottom was particularly eye-catching: "You don't need to wear formal clothes when you squeeze into the subway, right? After all, you haven't bought a POLO yet." "Some people are bored in the basement waiting for the subway, while others drive a POLO and go the way they want..." and so on. Some subway passengers felt very uncomfortable with the slogan, thinking that the slogan "squeezed" the huge "subway tribe" in Beijing and discriminated against the "subway tribe". There was a heated discussion on the Internet, and some netizens even made a spoof, changing the original slogan to "You don't need to wear formal clothes when you drive a POLO, right? After all, you haven't bought a private jet yet."

Proponent: Volkswagen officially stated that Shanghai Volkswagen did not have any intention of discriminating against subway passengers, and its purpose was only to stimulate the consumption demand of the audience. "Choosing to put advertisements in the subway means that our target users are locked on the 'subway tribe', but the wording did not take into account the feelings of these users."

Opposition: The advertisement is discriminatory against "subway people"

Some subway users think that POLO's advertisement violates social ethics: "People choose subways mainly because they are safe, convenient and fast; and the government encourages people to choose public transportation, which not only reduces exhaust emissions but also helps ease traffic pressure. How can this advertisement go against environmental protection and social ethics?"