A well-known car company announced the withdrawal of a promotional advertisement for a new technology in its latest vehicles, featuring Egyptian star Amr Diab, after some deemed it "offensive and inciting harassment." The company stated in a post on its social media accounts that it "values the feelings of all communities it operates in and does not tolerate harassment in any form."
The controversial scene
The company added: "We understand the negative interpretation of a scene that appeared in the latest television advertisement" for the car in Egypt. In the promotional video, the beloved artist, nicknamed "El Hadaba," the new brand ambassador, is seen driving the car when a girl suddenly walks in front of him. He stops just before hitting her and takes a picture of her using the car's mirror (a new technology offered by the company), followed by the tagline: "Capture every beautiful moment."
The advertisement faced significant criticism on social media, with many users claiming it infringes on privacy by allowing photos to be taken without consent, as well as being against family values and encouraging harassment. In response, the company clarified that "the scene highlights the Connected Cam feature, a high-definition integrated camera designed to capture unique driving moments, as well as enhance driver safety."
Notably, the new advertisement was launched earlier this month, featuring a song by lyricist Ayman Bahjat Qamar, composed by Mohamed Yahya, and directed by Tarek Al Erian.
