We don't make many hard and fast editorial judgments here at Autoblog. There isn't some set in stone guideline that lists what is and is not appropriate to post. A few days ago when the much talked about VW viral ad featuring a suicide bomber surfaced we were sent the link by numerous people. If you haven't seen it yet a quick Internet search will most likely find it for you. We won't be linking to it though. The ad was so distasteful we just didn't want to show it here. But now that Ad Rants is discussing how much VW is disavowing the ad we figured we should at least comment.
The ad is wrong. It shows a suicide bomber driving his VW up to a sidewalk caf? and detonating himself. Except the car doesn?t blow up he just goes splat inside it, showing how safe the car is. It doesn?t matter if some people find it funny or think only those with thin skin can?t take a joke. It?s just wrong. Perhaps Europeans are more distanced from suicide bombings than Iraqis, Israelis and Americans are but that doesn?t mean they should make light of what American troops, Iraqi civilians and even prior to that Israeli and Palestinians have to legitimately worry about.
Autoblog is apolitical for the most part but that doesn?t mean we don?t get offended. If VW had any part in the ad, and from Ad Rants it sounds like they did, they better step up and take accountability and apologize. It?s surprising the big time media hasn?t picked up on the story too. You?d think it would be provocative enough.
Anyway, if you were wondering why we hadn?t run the story on the ad this is the reason. We don?t get on our soapboxes often but there has got to be a hundred other ways VW can try and sell a car that doesn?t offend so many people.
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