Hoax 'Suicide Bomber' Car Ad Takes Internet by Storm
Correspondent:: "Freddie M"
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 23:16:23 -0500
--------
The ad may be downloaded here....
http://www.boreme.com/bm/JAN05/a/vw-suicide-bomber/fr.htm
"Harry Lime" wrote in message
news:WvKdnZhG874MomncRVn-vw@comcast.com...
>
> http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1396579,00.html
>
> Courtesy of www.harrylime.biz
>
> The spoof ad opens with the suicide bomber leaving his home and jumping
into
> his VW Polo. The bomber parks at a busy London restaurant where carefree
> diners crowd the pavement. Cut to the terrorist sitting in his car as he
> pushes the button to detonate his bomb. The blast is contained within the
> car, saving the diners. The ad ends: 'Polo. Small but tough'.
> It has to be a candidate for the sickest advert of all time, but also one
of
> the most deceptive. Despite the high quality production values, real
> Volkswagen logo and the free publicity it is attracting around the world,
> the commercial was not made by the car giant.
>
> Indeed, the firm has expressed disgust at the spoof depiction of a
suicide
> bomber blowing himself up in a VW Polo, and tomorrow it will consider
legal
> action against its creators.
>
> The advert was not made for TV but to be flashed around the world on the
> internet. It is part of a phenomenon of 'viral emails' - not to be
confused
> with computer viruses - that is so popular that this month saw the first
> 'viral awards'.
>
> Most are official efforts by companies and advertising agencies. The VW
> hoax, however, marks a worrying new trend for them - bogus ads which can
be
> made by one individual that can wreck a firm's reputation.
>
> Ford had to distance itself last year from a viral email showing a cat's
> head being cut off by a car's sunroof. Paul Buckett, a VW spokesman,
said:
> 'Two creatives known to our advertising agency, DDB London, sent in this
> work on spec. The agency wouldn't have anything to do it. I can only
assume
> the people who made it put it on the web.
>
> 'We were horrified. This is not something we would consider using: it is
in
> incredibly bad taste to depict suicide bombers.
>
> 'It gives the impression we've condoned or supported it, and is
potentially
> very damaging to Volkswagen. Our legal department is planning an action
and
> we will decide tomorrow.'
>
> The ad is believed to be the work of a duo experienced in spoof ads,
known
> as Lee and Dan, who also make real commercials.
>
> Dan told the digital newsletter of media experts Brand Republic: 'The ad
got
> out accidentally and spread like wildfire.'
>
> It reflected 'what people see in the news every day. The car is the hero
> that protects innocent people from someone with very bad intentions.
We're
> sorry if it has caused any offence.'
>
>
> --
> I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one
redeeming
> feature.....Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the
> introduction of Christianity, have been burned, tortured, fined and
> imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make half the
> world fools and half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over
the
> world. Thomas Jefferson
>
>