Commenters have taken to YouTube to complain about a Holden car ad, claiming that the driver gets "dangerously close to a cyclist, causing him to come off his bike," The Drum reports. And Holden is defending the ad.
Holden is an Australian car brand.
Richard Powell broke down the criticism on the YouTube page: “Nice subliminal & direct messages. Drive close to the rear of a cyclist & cause a collision. Fail to stop following the collision. Drive fast relative to the conditions of a narrow street crowded with pedestrians & vulnerable users. Hide from police following the incident. Thanks HOLDEN MALIBU!"
Rather than ignoring the issue or providing one stalk response, Holden is replying individually to negative commenters.
"Thanks for your comment Richard," Holden writes. "The Malibu ad is a tongue in cheek attack on beigeville, and we hope that most TV viewers will enjoy the ad for what it is: A poke in the eye to bland cars. We take the depiction of safe driving in our advertising very seriously. Thanks - AC @ Holden"
It continues to other YouTube users:
While we recognise the concerns from some people to our ad, we believe that most viewers will understand that the situation has been created as a fantasy. The cyclist takes a tumble because he is mesmerised by the Malibu's standout looks in an otherwise sea of beige. Holden takes its approach to road safety very seriously and is proud to have supported the cycling community for many years, including our sponsorship of the Holden Women's Cycling Team
Emphasis is ours.
Watch the ad below:
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