"VW Rethinks Its High-Testosterone Ads": Volkswagen

This reading of The Wall Street Journal article, "VW Rethinks Its High-Testosterone Ads", Volkswagen responds to the request of Miami customers, Cuban-dominated Miami customers. "In English, Turbo-Balls might not sound so offensive, but in the Spanish-speaking community, it will always have a vulgar connotation." (Jordan) Volkswagen removed billboards in New York, Los Angeles and Miami after receiving complaints that a word used in an advertisement was offensive to Hispanics. The ad for the new GTI 2006 …

…informed buyers who base moral principals in transactions revolving around an organization's marketing mix of pricing, product, promotion and place. Advertising may produce negative attention by consumers in an ethical sense and may damage an organization's reputation. This can be seen as an example of cultural pollution where-by commercials on television for example, may be ignored by those not in the target market. Reference: Jordan, Miriam "VW Rethinks Its High-Testosterone Ads" Busisnessweek March 20, 2006, Page B1