In an Audi commercial from China, a mother-in-law interrupts a wedding ceremony to inspect the bride, checking whether she's up to standard. The older woman grabs the bride's nose and ears, pinches her lower lip and peers at her teeth and tongue. The bride gets an OK – along with an extra warning to cover up her cleavage. It's an ad from Ogilvy & Mather Beijing promoting used Audi cars that have been checked out and officially certified for resale.
But the ad is getting pushback on social media for comparing women to merchandise -- specifically, to used cars that need to be checked from every angle. The ad was surprising given that Audi has made campaigns tackling gender stereotypes a centerpiece in markets from Spain to the U.S. One social commenter contrasted the Chinese spot to Audi's messaging during the Super Bowl, about equal pay for women.
"Audi in China regards women as secondhand cars," one commenter wrote on Weibo. "But Audi in the U.S. encourages women to believe in themselves, to realize their potential and to get the same pay as men." That commenter advised Audi to "think about its mistakes." According to Audi’s official statement, the company said the spot was produced exclusively for the Chinese car market and has already been completely withdrawn.
