Story update: WPP India Unit Sacks Employees After Sexist Ford Ads
An Indian unit of advertising group WPP has sacked employees over a series of ads, including one showing women tied up in the trunk of a Ford driven by ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. By Aradhana Aravindan.
The ads were published days after India approved a tougher new law to punish sex crimes, following the fatal gang rape of a student in December. That attack sparked unprecedented protests over the treatment of women in the country.
The ads, uploaded on an industry website, were created by individuals within JWT India, a unit of WPP, the world's biggest advertising group.
"We deeply regret the publishing of posters that were distasteful and contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency at JWT," a company statement said.
"These were never intended for paid publication, were never requested by our Ford client and should never have been created, let alone uploaded to the Internet.
http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-03-28-wpp-india-unit-sacks-employees-after-sexist-ford-ads/#.UVrkUzegSSo