Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/05/21/volkswagen-apologizes-for-raci.html
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9 Likes
How odd that through the whole process of commissioning the ad, filming and editing it, approving the results, transcoding it to mobile-friendly formats, and posting it to social media, no-one realized it was racist.
(Well okay, a lot of VW people forked up.)
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There is a culture problem at VW.
I am shocked, shocked I say! That there might be some sort of cultural problem at a company founded by Nazis.
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You’d think they’d want people to stop thinking about the company’s origins. But then, we live in a time when a right-wing populist party can become the third largest party in the German parliament.
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Another atmosphere ruined by VW.
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I’m going to vote with my wallet. I will buy no VW cars, I will rent no VW cars, I will skip all ride-sharing in VW cars.
That will show them.
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- loud dog whistle
- apologize
- ?
- profit
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Maybe. Hard to see though how this boneheaded blunder will result in increased profits.
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“It’s easier to get forgiveness than approval.”
“hmmmm. We can work with that…”
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Many muricans will see it as an acceptable alternative to Ford or Chevy. The new white supremacist car market.
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Blockquote
“We posted a racist advertising video on Volkswagen’s Instagram channel”
I will say, it is refreshing seeing a named company spokesman flatly call out their own advertising as racist, versus just apologizing for offending people or other hand-wavy BS. It shouldn’t have happened, but a least they called it what it was, racist.
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Was there more to this ad when it was released? In this form, at least, I don’t understand what other message (besides the clearly racist one) it’s trying to convey.
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Having lived in Germany, I know that the German sense of humor is a weird one. That said, this makes no sense to me at all. Giant giggling hands pushing a normal sized human around? Regardless of race, it’s incomprehensible. I wonder if this references something that would at least make sense to the Chermansz?
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Maybe,
If a black man tries to steal your car (which we know they can’t help doing, amirite?), our built-in anti-blacktheft system will always protect you!
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Let’s look at who doesn’t normally buy VW:
Klansmen
Good ole country boys
Alt-Right proudboys…JK, they’re like klansmen lite and would probably drive Jettas
So if more racists decide to give VW a try and fewer people in general decide against buying, boom…profit.
To go one step further, perhaps VW should capitalize on this and start making trucks with a handy large wooden cross holder to appeal separately to the evangelicals, the klansmen, and those that are both.
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They’ve got their work cut out for them, Ford was sponsoring white supremacist events long before the Nazis ever thought to start their own car company.
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Shit, “Heroin” was trademark of Bayer, made one feel heroische.
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I … I don’t even get what they were trying to do with this ad that could be construed as anything other than racist tripe.
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Everybody welcome? Really? I did not realize that the KKK was so inclusive.
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Well, everyone who matters…
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