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| Ford India apologises over 'distasteful' adverts | Ford India apologises over 'distasteful' adverts |
| (7 days later) | |
| Ford India has apologised for adverts decried as demeaning to women, including one depicting Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi with a trio of bound women in the trunk of a car. | Ford India has apologised for adverts decried as demeaning to women, including one depicting Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi with a trio of bound women in the trunk of a car. |
| A spokeswoman said the company was investigating whether any of its staff ever saw or approved the print ads, which were never used commercially but appeared over the weekend on a website showcasing creative advertising. | A spokeswoman said the company was investigating whether any of its staff ever saw or approved the print ads, which were never used commercially but appeared over the weekend on a website showcasing creative advertising. |
| Featuring Ford's logo, one ad showed three women bound and gagged in the trunk of an Indian-made compact, the Ford Figo, with Berlusconi smiling from the driver's seat alongside the slogan "Leave your worries behind with the Figo's extra-large boot." | Featuring Ford's logo, one ad showed three women bound and gagged in the trunk of an Indian-made compact, the Ford Figo, with Berlusconi smiling from the driver's seat alongside the slogan "Leave your worries behind with the Figo's extra-large boot." |
| Similar ads featured Paris Hilton apparently kidnapping the Kardashian sisters, with all three sisters tied up and one in a bikini, and the Formula One driver Michael Schumacher abducting his male racing competition. | Similar ads featured Paris Hilton apparently kidnapping the Kardashian sisters, with all three sisters tied up and one in a bikini, and the Formula One driver Michael Schumacher abducting his male racing competition. |
| The ads, created at the advertising agency JWT India, appeared on the website adsoftheworld.com late on Friday and caused an uproar online. "Ford India Needs to Fire Its Advertising Execs," read a headline on Slate. | The ads, created at the advertising agency JWT India, appeared on the website adsoftheworld.com late on Friday and caused an uproar online. "Ford India Needs to Fire Its Advertising Execs," read a headline on Slate. |
| Ford said it regretted the incident, calling the images "contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within Ford". | Ford said it regretted the incident, calling the images "contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within Ford". |
| The Ford spokeswoman, Sethi Deepti, said by email: "We take this very seriously and are reviewing approval and oversight processes, and taking necessary steps to ensure nothing like this ever happens again." | The Ford spokeswoman, Sethi Deepti, said by email: "We take this very seriously and are reviewing approval and oversight processes, and taking necessary steps to ensure nothing like this ever happens again." |
| JWT advertising's parent company, the British advertising and public relations giant WPP Group, also condemned the ads. "We deeply regret the publishing of posters that were distasteful and contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within WPP Group," a statement said. | JWT advertising's parent company, the British advertising and public relations giant WPP Group, also condemned the ads. "We deeply regret the publishing of posters that were distasteful and contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within WPP Group," a statement said. |
| "These were never intended for paid publication and should never have been created, let alone uploaded to the internet. This was the result of individuals acting without proper oversight and appropriate actions have been taken within the agency where they work to deal with the situation." | "These were never intended for paid publication and should never have been created, let alone uploaded to the internet. This was the result of individuals acting without proper oversight and appropriate actions have been taken within the agency where they work to deal with the situation." |
| Last week India passed a new law on violence against women following a fatal gang rape of a student on a bus that prompted mass protests and spotlighted the status of women in India. | Last week India passed a new law on violence against women following a fatal gang rape of a student on a bus that prompted mass protests and spotlighted the status of women in India. |
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