Citroën: Discover this advertising that is controversial

"Any advertisement is good advertising," said Andy Warhol.Not sure that that unveiled by Citroën to promote its new C4 in Egypt sticks to this quote.Because for a few days, the tricolor firm has been under the fire of criticism, accused of normalizing, or even promoting sexual harassment.In a 1 minute 40 spot published in particular on Twitter and broadcast in Egypt, we see the singer star friend Diab driving the sedan to the chevrons, then pounding a pedestrian passage in order to let a young woman cross.Visibly captivated by his beauty, he then decides to activate the dashcam integrated into the vehicle rear view mirror to photograph it while looking at the driver.The image then appeared on the latter's phone, before the slogan "Snap Every Beautiful Moment" translates by "Capture every beautiful moment".

A controversial advertising

The goal of this spot was then to promote the on -board camera, offered on several models in the range.If it aims in particular to have evidence in the event of an accident, Citroën prefers to communicate about it by highlighting the possibility of capturing unusual or memorable moments.Except that at the time of Me Too and feminist movements around consent, the idea of photographing a woman in the street without her consent was perhaps not the best, as denounced by the American-Egyptian journalist ReemAbdellatif.On Twitter, she comments indeed: "Who thought it would be a good idea to advertise that allows sexual harassment, in a country where 98% of women said they were harassed at a time in their lives?»».

This advertisement also falls at an even more inappropriate moment, while the Egyptian government voted last July a law in order to weigh down sanctions in the event of sexual harassment, which then becomes a crime liable to two years in prison.For its part, Citroën has removed the video and apologizes to the "communities that felt offended".

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