Ford Apologizes for Offensive ‘Berlusconi’ Figo Ads

A print ad used to promote the Ford Figo compact car in India is causing controversy among people who say it is offensive, distasteful and misogynistic. Indeed, the pitch has drawn so much fire that Ford Motor Co. has apologized for it.

The ad features a caricature of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the wheel of a Figo with three women bound and gagged in the car’s cargo bay. The Figo is known for its luggage capacity and Ford’s tagline for the car is, “Leave your worries behind with Figo’s extra-large boot.”

“We deeply regret this incident and agree with our agency partners that it should have never happened,” Ford said in a statement. “The posters are contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within Ford and our agency partners.”

The Berlusconi ad is one in a trio of similarly styled ads that serve as examples of how advertising can approach, push, and violate the limits of public acceptance.

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