bad KIA bad

The ad for the new KIA spectra is SO ridiculous and offensive.

It features a man and woman making out in a car parked on the side of the highway. When they're interrupted by the crackle of a police radio it seems they've been stopped by officers. Instead, the woman then gets out of the car, in uniform, tucks her long blonde hair under her police cap and returns to her cruiser.

"Life is better in a Spectra," says the ad.


Wow. The Quebec Police Association has taken offense and lodged a complaint, but KIA doesn't really care how "lady cops" are portrayed.

In an article in today's Toronto Star, Tony Ciccia from the firm that made the commercial (Publicis Canada), states:

"The ad communicates just the brand character intended", and
"Most advertising that goes on air has complaints and this doesn't strike us as out of the ordinary."
"We see no reason to pull the ads."

Perhaps they aren't receiving enough complaints.


Send KIA, and the ad maker a note:

consumer@kia.ca kia canada

mjc@kia.co.kr media relations

yeon@kia.co.kr investor relations

info@publicis.ca attention Tony Ciccia