Porsche ad zooms by Jesus statue, video pulled after public outcry.
A Controversial Porsche Ad: What Viewers Noticed and Why It Was Pulled
A new advertisement from Porsche caused quite a stir when viewers noticed a critical element of the scenic landscape had been digitally removed. The ad, which was uploaded to YouTube on Wednesday, featured a 911 S/T speeding through the picturesque and historic landscape of Portugal.
One particular shot showed the sports car zooming down a street with the iconic 25 de Abril bridge in the background, connecting Lisbon to Almada. However, keen-eyed viewers noticed an odd stone pedestal behind the bridge, devoid of the familiar statue of Jesus Christ that usually adorns it. This missing element did not go unnoticed by the internet.
The pedestal in question is the base of Almada’s Santuario de Cristo Rei statue, a highly visible and iconic landmark in the Lisbon metro area. The fact that Porsche had digitally erased Jesus Christ himself from their video sparked outrage and led to widespread criticism of the ad.
Hey, @Porsche , why did you erase the statue of Jesus Christ from your video filmed in Lisbon? pic.twitter.com/VxcfUBrN8D
— Alex B. (@maisumcarneiro) August 5, 2023
As the controversy grew, Porsche made the video private, only to re-release it on Monday morning with the Jesus statue restored to its rightful place. However, the original version can still be viewed through an archival link to the ad’s YouTube page.
They have now made the video private on YouTube.
I’ll just leave it here.
I don’t think @elonmusk will cave to censorship on this platform. pic.twitter.com/abNLNJAler— Alex B. (@maisumcarneiro) August 6, 2023
The public outrage over Porsche’s decision to digitally erase a symbol of Christianity was swift and severe. Many questioned why a top international automaker would engage in such an act, while others saw it as part of a larger trend of erasing Christianity from public spaces.
One user defended Porsche, claiming that editing out religious landmarks and signage is a common practice in worldwide commercials. However, this explanation did little to quell the controversy, as it confirmed that the statue of Jesus was intentionally removed from the advertisement.
As of Monday morning, Porsche had not commented on the edited video or the public backlash it received. In an era where conservative consumers hold significant power, it is crucial for companies to be mindful of the messages they convey and the symbols they choose to erase.
Should Porsche Apologize for This Ad?
Many people were left wondering why a top international automaker would engage in such an act, while others saw it as part of a larger trend of erasing Christianity from public spaces.
One user came to the defense of Porsche, claiming it’s a common trend for the company to edit out religious iconography.
I have worked with Porsche on ads before – for worldwide commercials it is very common to edit out any religious landmarks/signage. However for localized national ads that’s not the case. Any big brand does that, there is no “conspiracy” behind it.
— georgegrant.eth |.btc (@TheOneNFT) August 6, 2023
At the very least, this testimony seems to confirm what the video plainly shows — the statue of Jesus was purposefully and intentionally edited out of the advertisement.
We are now living in a time when conservative consumers hold a substantial amount of power, and it would seem that automakers like Porsche should be more careful about erasing powerful symbols of faith.
Source: The Western Journal
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