Creators of VW spoof ad apologize
Carmakers dropping legal action
Monday, January 31, 2005 Posted: 2:32 PM EST (1932 GMT)
• CNN/Money: VW parodied in Web ad
FRANKFURT, Germany (Reuters) -- The creators of a hoax advertisement for Volkswagen AG's Polo car that has circulated on the Internet have apologized and promised not to repeat it, Europe's biggest carmaker said on Monday.
The so-called viral ad -- unauthorized by Volkswagen or its advertising agencies -- shows a suicide bomber detonating his explosives in a Polo parked outside a busy cafe, only to have the car absorb the blast.
The 20-second advert ends with the Volkswagen logo and the Polo's actual advertising motto: Small but Tough.
Volkswagen said in a statement it had received sworn statements from the two creators -- Dan Brooks and Lee Ford -- acknowledging that they made the ad but had not intended for it to be distributed.
"The creators regret the distribution of the film, will not publicize it further and apologize unreservedly for the damage caused to Volkswagen," it said, adding that the company would now drop legal action against the pair.
Volkswagen had lodged a criminal complaint last week over the ad, which it called "an attack on Volkswagen's good name."
