Though it is
unclear how anyone at the company could have possibly though it was a good
idea, Hyundai Europe recently released an advertisement depicting a man
attempting to commit suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning by leaving his car
running in the garage. The man in the ad fails to kill himself because the
vehicle’s emissions are 100 percent water emissions.
Unsurprisingly, the
ad has sparked some outrage — particularly among people who have had family
members take their own lives, some using the same method.
We at Hyundai Motor America are shocked and saddened by the
depiction of a suicide attempt in an inappropriate European video featuring a
Hyundai. Suicide merits thoughtful discussion, not this type of treatment.
[...]
Hyundai Motor deeply and sincerely apologizes for the offensive
viral ad.
The ad was created by an affiliate advertising agency, Innocean
Europe, without Hyundai’s request or approval. It runs counter to our values as
a company and as members of the community. We are very sorry for any offense or
distress the video caused.
More to the point,
Hyundai apologizes to those who have been personally impacted by tragedy.
Hyundai Europe also
apologized for the ad and announced it would no longer be using it in its
campaign.
But the damage was done. Nothing made that more evident than a
moving blog post by Holly Brockwell, a digital copywriter in London. She
tackled the controversial ad on the advertising blog she manages called Copybot:
I understand better
than most people the need to do something newsworthy, something talkable, even
something outrageous to get those all-important viewing figures. What I don’t
understand is why a group of strangers have just brought me to tears in order
to sell me a car. Why I had to be reminded of the awful moment I knew I’d never
see my dad again, and the moments since that he hasn’t been there. That birthday
party. Results day. Graduation.
Watch the ad below
(Warning! Video below depicts fake suicide attempt):
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