An Audi commercial equating women to used cars has riled up consumers in China.
The Chinese commercial opens with a young couple on the cusp of getting married, when the groom's mother suddenly interrupts the ceremony to inspect the bride.
After yanking the bride's nose and ears, and prying open her jaw to inspect her teeth, the mom appears satisfied and gives the couple the okay. She casts one last disapproving look at the bride's chest before the scene changes to an Audi driving through city streets as a voice-over says "an important decision must be made carefully."
The ad ends with a plug for used Audi vehicles, with the male narrator saying: "Only with official certification can you be rest assured."
It did not go over well.
A growing number of Chinese consumers have taken to Weibo, China's Twitter, to slam the German carmaker. Many called the ad sexist and some even vowed to boycott Audi vehicles.
"This is unacceptable," wrote one user, while another called it "disgusting."
The Weibo hashtag "Audi second-hand car ad" had been viewed more than 300,000 times by midday Wednesday.
Michael Wilkes, Audi's head of corporate communications in China, said the advert was produced by the used car division of parent company Volkswagen's joint venture in China.
FAW-Volkswagen, the joint venture, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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As a gal, I am oddly not offended by the ad. Maybe some folks are just a little too sensitive and need to stir shit every once in a while.