Volkswagen 'horrified' over racist Golf ad
The VW ad ran on Instagram briefly before the company pulled the spot amid backlash.
Volkswagen issued a formal apology on Wednesday after public backlash over an Instagram ad criticized as harboring racist tones.
The spot for the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf ran in Germany on Instagram and featured a black man pushed and flicked away by a large white hand as he approached the car. Viewers also noted the hand pushes the man into a cafe named Petit Colon, which can translate to "little settler" and be taken as a reference to colonialism. Outcry extended to the way "der neue Golf" was spelled in the ad. As the letters come into formation, they briefly spell a racial slur in the German language. The video in the tweet below shows that moment.
In der neuen #VW-Werbung wird rein zufällig ein schwarzer Mann von einer weißen Hand hin und her geschubst und anschließend in ein Haus mit der Überschrift „petit colon“ geschnipst. Die ersten eingegeben Buchstaben ergeben das N-Wort. Ich könnte kotzen. pic.twitter.com/XnqSM41IIQ
— Felix Edeha (@FelixEd93) May 19, 2020
Although VW didn't initially admit any wrongdoing and said it was "shocked and surprised" by the reaction, it has since issued a new statement apologizing for the ad. First, on Twitter, Jürgen Stackmann, a VW board member with sales and marketing oversight, shared a statement in German saying, "We understand the public outrage at this. Because we're horrified, too. This video is an insult to all achievements of the civil rights movement. It is an insult to every decent person."
Stackmann went on to emphasize that the automaker is keenly aware of its founding during the Nazi regime. Under Adolf Hitler, Volkswagen made use of forced labor.
"That is precisely why we resolutely oppose all forms of hatred, slander/propaganda and discrimination," he said.
Volkswagen of America issued its own statement as the video went viral Wednesday evening. "This advertisement by our colleagues was in poor taste and not an accurate reflection of our values. We sincerely apologize to anyone offended and everyone who viewed."
