http://youtube.com/watch?v=bpopOOLLLFE?rel=0
Hyundai should be ashamed. A commercial linked to the car manufacturer has leaked on to the Internet and it depicts a failed suicide attempt while promoting their clean emissions engine.
Huffington Post has noted that it's unclear whether Hyundai approved or actually intended to air this ad that apparently came from the advertising agency Innocean. Whether or not it was only meant for European audiences (as noted with the driver's side being on the right side of the car), it is still disturbing that it was created and wound up on YouTube for all to see. Perhaps now would be a good time for Hyundai to put its account into review and get themselves an ad agency that's more sensitive to things like this.
The ad has a man trying to commit suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning but he can't because his snazzy Hyundai has 100% water emissions. Instead of using this feature to, I don't know, spin the benefits it will have on the environment, the company instead opts MOCK SUICIDE. Who thought it was a good idea in this pitch? "Hey, I'VE GOT IT. LET'S SHOW HOW WE CAN POTENTIALLY SAVE LIVES WITH A COMMERCIAL. Who was the genius behind, "Yes, let's have everyone stare at a man in complete misery, attempting to end his life and at the end we're all, J/K! We fooled you! He can't!"???
No. No no no. Car commercials that do this with their airbag features? Fine. But this. This is showing shocking insensitivity to those people who have lost loved ones to suicide.
It's also worth noting that the idea isn't even an original one. Audi had an extremely similar ad where a man tried to commit suicide through the same means, but the diesel engine in his Audi prevented it.
