Audi advert likening women to used cars backfires in China
Internet users slam commercial that shows mother-in-law inspecting bride on her wedding day
German carmaker Audi sparked outrage in China this week after its latest advertisement appeared to compare women to second-hand cars.
The offending film, which was broadcast online and at the cinema, opens with a mother-in-law figure interrupting a bride and groom as they are saying their vows.
She then proceeds to yank the bride’s nose, pull her ear, and force her mouth open to look at her teeth – not unlike the way a vet might check the health of a horse, as internet users were quick to point out.
After a thorough probing, the older woman makes an “OK” gesture with her hand to indicate her approval, before her eyes suddenly widen as she focuses on the bride’s breasts. The shot then cuts to a clip of a red Audi car and a voice-over reminding viewers that “an important decision must be made carefully”. It ends with a pointer to the company’s second-hand car sales webpage.