Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Volkswagen Apologizes For Racially Tone-Deaf Ad Of Giant White Hand Pushing Black Man Around Following Backlash

Car company Volkswagen has removed a racially-insensitive ad from their Instagram page.

The German manufacturer apologized and said they aren't sure how the offensive undertones of the clip were overlooked.


The ad, which is ten seconds long and promotes the Volkswagen Golf, features a black man being dragged, prodded and flicked around by a giant white hand.

Though it has now been removed from Instagram by Volkswagen, you can watch the spot which a German reporter screen-captured here:

The caption for the above tweet says (roughly):

"In the new #VW -Advertising, a Black man is pushed back and forth by a White hand and then flicked into a cafe with the name "petit colon". The first letters entered result in the N word. I could be sick."

At the end of the ad, some people took issue with the man being flicked into a cafe called "Petit Colón."

The phrase translates to "little settler" or "little colonist" according to Huffpost.

Then, when the German phrase for "The New Golf" appears onscreen ("Der Neue Golf") the first visible letters spell the German equivalent of the N-word.

Several German reporters pointed this out on Twitter.


Initially, Volkswagen responded to criticism by saying the races of the people in their ad didn't matter.

They were "surprised and shocked that our Instagram story could be so misunderstood."

Shortly after, however, board member Juergen Stackmann and head of diversity management Elke Heitmueller issued a joint statement.

Their revised response said they were "horrified" by the ad's contents.

The two Volkswagen leaders' statement referenced the fact that the company was founded by the Nazis, saying:

"That is precisely why we resolutely oppose all forms of hatred, slander/propaganda and discrimination."

They promised to investigate how the ad was allowed to be made and to share "results and consequences" with the public.



Volkswagen seems to issue an insensitive ad or comment every few years.

They were criticized for a racially tone-deaf Super Bowl ad in 2013, a misogynistic Audi ad in 2017 and referencing a Nazi slogan just last year.

It's more important than ever that companies are aware of what their advertisements are saying about race and gender, a lesson Volkswagen has learned the hard way.

More from Trending

Country Singer Gavin Adcock went on a drunken rant over Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" success.
Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Country singer rants over Beyoncé album

Country singer Gavin Adcock became the title of his next album, “Own Worst Enemy,” after going on an unhinged rant about the legitimacy of Beyoncé's Grammy-winning and record-breaking Cowboy Carter in the country music genre.

Adcock, whose upcoming album is set for release next month, was filmed during a live performance last weekend, complaining that Beyoncé and her album are not “country music.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Dionne Warwick; Tiny Chef
Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images; @ToonHive/X

Dionne Warwick Is Ready To Go To War With Nickelodeon Over 'Tiny Chef' Cancellation

You know your campaign against a show's cancellation is achieving widespread attention when you get people like venerated singer Dionne Warwick advocating for you.

Nickelodeon's The Tiny Chef Show was recently cancelled, much to the dismay of its viewers and creators. It was also a genuinely surprising decision, since the show has won an Emmy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman relaxing in sunhat and sunglasses
Photo by Jordan Bauer on Unsplash

People Explain Which 'Small Luxuries' They Can't Live Without

Many of us have committed to being fairly financially frugal and not overspending on silly, unnecessary things.

That is to say, sometimes, it's fun to splurge on something one time to see what it's like to experience that small luxury.

Keep ReadingShow less
two women in emotional distress seated on couch
Ben White on Unsplash

People Who've Experienced Grief Share The Most Tone-Deaf Things They've Heard

Grief, loss, trauma are all part of life. But for most people, the emotions and reactions that go with them are difficult to witness.

So they rely on platitudes to fill any holes in conversation. That's rarely a good idea.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Demands 'Boss Of AT&T' Fix Equipment After Failed Conference Call In Bizarre Meltdown

When most of us have technical difficulties, we contact tech support or customer service.

But if you're President of the United States, just ranting on social media—then having your White House Press Secretary post a screenshot of your post on a social media platform people actually use—is apparently the answer.

Keep ReadingShow less