A London based advertising agency of two has created a little controversy with their VW Polo advertisement that shows a Suicide bomber blowing himself up in a Polo:

Britain’s Media Guardian magazine reported the 20-second spot was produced by a London-based advertising duo known as Lee and Dan, who were given 40,000 British pounds, $75,000, and access to the lastest Polo model to do the shoot. The two apologized for offending people but refused to identify themselves. Reuters noted that under German law, charges can be filed against unknown persons, obliging authorities to track down the perpetrators.

The ad – which plays on the VW Polo’s tagline “small but tough” – shows a man in fatigues and a Middle Eastern keffiyeh getting in his Polo and driving to the front of a sidewalk cafe. Still in the driver’s seat, he detonates a bomb belt. A flash appears inside the car, but the vehicle does not explode. Then comes the strapline: “Polo. Small but tough.”

Volkswagen has already filed criminal charges against the makers of the video after skeptics accused them of authorizing it.

related links

VW files charges over
suicide-bomber ad
The Video Clip (via bOING bOING)
VW denies tie to suicide-bomber ad