This just isn’t right. Democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has spent the last 12 years under house arrest in Myanmar, her home country. She’s the leader of the National League for Democracy and oh, a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Oh, and automaker Fiat made the ad you see above to “honor” her work, even though they’re supposedly neutral in political matters.
Remember how Fiat apologized to that country called China for an ad wherein known liberal-freedom-loving-super-hippy Richard Gere drove his Fiat to Tibet and it was all activisty? After that, Olivier Francois, Chief Executive Officer of Lancia said, “Fiat reiterates its neutrality in connection with any political matter, be it on a national or international basis. Fiat Group extends its apologies to the Government of the People’s Republic of China and to the Chinese people.”
Here’s the thing — you shouldn’t run an ad lauding the efforts of an imprisoned freedom fighter over here, and talk about how you’re neutral over there. Yeah, we’re shoulding all over this.
Who better to unwittingly speak for a brand than an imprisoned woman in Burma? Watch the spot, because you’ll for sure want to see how Fiat uses Kyi’s peace-gained-fame to sell their cars. Way to go, assbags. This reminds us of that time Kenneth Cole whored “Miracle on the Hudson” to sell more overpriced shoes.
Did we mention that Fiat sponsors the Jamacian bobsledding team? Cool Runnings, bitches! Source
More: “Fiat Says “Our Bad” to China”