Volkswagen AG (VW) on Wednesday said that it was sorry for a publicity stunt that duped major media firms.
The outrage came after Volkswagen just a day earlier said in a press release that it would be changing the name of its US subsidiary to “Voltswagen” to highlight its shift toward electric vehicles.
The announcement raised eyebrows, but company spokespeople insisted that it was genuine, resulting in widespread media coverage before VW eventually revealed the rebrand was a joke dreamed up by its marketing team.
Photo: AFP
In a statement, Volkswagen of America said that its marketing campaign had sought to draw attention to VW’s e-offensive “in a fun and interesting way” as “an April Fools’ Day effort.”
“The many positive responses on social media showed that this campaign resonated with consumers,” it said. “At the same time, we realize the announcement rollout upset some people and we are sorry about any confusion this has caused.”
Reporters reacted angrily to the stunt, with some saying it was tone-deaf coming from a company still recovering from the 2015 “dieselgate” scandal, when the German automaker said that it had for years used software in vehicles to skirt emissions tests.
Agence France-Presse global news director Phil Chetwynd wrote to Volkswagen Group to protest the stunt.
“We understand when a spokesperson is not in a position to confirm or comment on a piece of information, but we never expect them to make false statements,” Chetwynd wrote. “We strongly think serious journalists and news outlets should not be used by companies like Volkswagen for marketing and advertising purposes. For us it is a very grave breach of trust which must not be repeated.”
USA Today business reporter Nathan Bomey also voiced anger, accusing VW of lying to reporters.
“This was not a joke. It was deception. In case you hadn’t noticed, we have a misinformation problem in this country. Now you’re part of it. Why should anyone trust you again?” Bomey wrote on Twitter.
Shares in the VW group climbed nearly 5 percent in Frankfurt on Tuesday on the “Voltswagen” announcement.
On Wednesday, VW stock closed 0.8 percent lower.
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