Volkswagen Forced To Pull This Jetta Ad Amid Protest From Activists That It Is An Instructional Video?

If lawyers had a sense of humor, the world would be a much more entertaining place to live.

Instead, anyone with a legal degree and a corporate job seems intent on obliterating all bits of humor from the planet. The latest example is a funny advertisement Volkswagen America made to promote the new 2011 Jetta. It’s called “Shoot the Gap,” and goes something like this:

A young couple is test-driving the Jetta as a salesman discusses the car’s attributes, saying the car is “built for the Autobahn.” The guy driving blows off the comment by saying he and his wife are both conservative drivers, at which point little-miss-conservative in the back seat begins bouncing up and down, screaming, “Shoot the gap!”


The driver proceeds to step on the gas and accelerate though a pack of slow-moving semi trucks before an air of calmness again descends on the vehicle’s occupants, and they discuss mundane things like scheduled maintenance. The ad is funny and communicates attractive selling points, both elements that should lead to success.

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ptonyboy - 8/2/2010 2:17:26 PM

+1 Boost

Umm I REALLY don't see anything wrong with the commercial

_43LE - 8/2/2010 2:40:33 PM

+1 Boost

I really don't see anything wrong with this ad.

This reminds me of the situation in 1990 when Nissan was forced to pull an ad for the 300ZX turbo because they complained that it promoted speeding. It was a very cool ad that was a victim of these same type of people.

WorldofLuxury - 8/2/2010 3:29:52 PM

+1 Boost

PUAHAHAHAH

LexSucks - 8/2/2010 3:30:50 PM

-3 Boost

Americans are retarded, reactionary weaklings that(over)react at the complaint of anyone (or anything). Fox News put up a story that wasn't true. What did our GOV't do? They fired the person based off that false story. They didn't even check to see if the story was accurate or not.

In this case it was probably a 90 year old lady that doesn't even drive that voiced the complaint.

Americans are a bunch of weaklings. And not to get too political, Democrats are the weakest of them all. The Dems are such pushovers (punks) and it starts from the top. This just sickens me how our country has gotten so week.

LexSucks - 8/2/2010 4:48:30 PM

0 Boost

Check your facts. They ran it before she got fired on O'Rielly and Hannity.

LexSucks - 8/2/2010 4:56:19 PM

0 Boost

I checked my sources and "the Fox News website posted a story describing the Breitbart clip, and the Fox Nation website posted the video clip, both before any announcement that she had been fired."

So I was wrong about Hannity and Bill O' (Sorry), But correct about FOX News. I know FOX would like everyone to forget about that fact. But facts are facts.

Shredmo - 8/2/2010 5:26:19 PM

+1 Boost

In all fairness, Fox aired the video ~20 minutes prior to her actually resigning. I seriously doubt their broadcast had any influence on Vilsack's decision.

uaw_lax - 8/2/2010 6:35:37 PM

0 Boost

"I seriously doubt their broadcast had any influence on Vilsack's decision." Are you crazy? sure it did! That ad had her fired or a polite resignation. Ultimately the truth got out and she was offered her job back.

SpicyMikey - 8/3/2010 9:07:51 AM

0 Boost

I laughed when I read you say, in the middle of your political rant, "And not to get too political....". Your post was 100% political in the middle of a discussion about a car ad on a car site. Too late to worry about not being too political. Man, did you forget to take your meds today?

Shredmo - 8/3/2010 11:45:06 AM

+2 Boost

uaw, did you try to comprehend my post?
I mean, really!

LexSucks - 8/3/2010 3:25:27 PM

+1 Boost

SpicyMikey (AKA MikeyDred),

The entire premise of this article is political. No?

And when a person says; "not to get too political", it means that the person has already said something that was political, not that they are about to say something political. 1% or 100% doesn't matter.

And as for your Meds comments? Glad to see that you like to make things personal on a car enthusiast board, keep up the good work. And you are asking about me taking meds? LOL!! At least I didn't lash out at someone personally on a car enthusiast board. Guess I must have hit a soft spot.

LexSucks - 8/3/2010 3:28:51 PM

+1 Boost

Also,

Saying that this is a "car site" doesn't mean that they're aren't any political discussions here. How many "Obama" threads have been created here in the past? Give me a break.

JRobUSC - 8/2/2010 3:41:33 PM

+4 Boost

I'm not sure what makes that commercial an "instructional video". I also don't understand why it would matter if it was one. If VW wants to make a commercial that explains how to buckle your seatbelt, which would be more of an "instructional video" than this was, it's their 30 seconds of airtime and their advertising money. What's the problem?

dl767captain - 8/2/2010 3:46:34 PM

+4 Boost

This ad is hilarious! The point of the ad is that it's "built for the autobahn" but they are pretty conservative drivers. It's only instructional if the guy told them to pull up and match the speed, accelerate and merge in front before you catch the truck in front. People need to chill out an laugh

AgentOrange - 8/2/2010 7:14:53 PM

+2 Boost

The point of the ad is that VWs are apparently for hen-pecked husbands who are willing to make risky hi-way moves when yelled at by their yappy wifes.
If it were my wife in the back seat I'd have told her to STFU while I was driving.

dl767captain - 8/2/2010 9:46:12 PM

+1 Boost

AgentOrange, you sound like so much fun to drive with, do you also go 65 in the left lane on the freeway and complain that everyone trying to pass you is just going too fast?

Shredmo - 8/3/2010 11:40:30 AM

0 Boost

dl67, if you ever try to shoot the gap, I pray the semi you are passing illegally does not merge to the right and squash you. If this video is supposed to be a joke, why not duct tape an open bottle of colt 45 to one of the driver's hands. That would be funny too.

4wheelsfan - 8/2/2010 3:54:18 PM

+1 Boost

hilarious. really like it. Don't get their point!

Shredmo - 8/2/2010 5:27:21 PM

0 Boost

Personally, I find it dangerous to pass on the right, especially between semis. If the semi on the left decides to merge to where he is supposed to be, you are done.

AgentOrange - 8/2/2010 7:15:50 PM

0 Boost

Spot on..

Shredmo - 8/4/2010 3:20:05 PM

0 Boost

Deboosted again. I'd love to see the idiot driver that disagrees with my post.

pcar4evr - 8/2/2010 6:31:08 PM

+5 Boost

I could see if she had said "lick the gap"

mini22 - 8/2/2010 7:29:55 PM

+2 Boost

Funny ad. Too bad they took it off.

t_bone - 8/2/2010 11:01:30 PM

+1 Boost

I think that's the only car ad I've ever liked!

MorePower - 8/3/2010 3:21:30 AM

+1 Boost

I saw this ad today, so it has not yet been fully pulled. And it's not the lawyers that got this ad pulled, it was someone, or a group, with too much time and a stick up there ... that complained loud enough for VW to do pull the ad.

PUGPROUD - 8/3/2010 5:58:02 AM

+1 Boost

Enthusiasts like many of us who visit these sites combine love of driving fast with sound judgement...younger, less experienced drivers
lack the judgement to know when and when not to put thier right foot down. The ad was likely pulled so as not to stimulate the latter group into making unwise choices.

2ndbimmer - 8/3/2010 10:49:19 AM

+2 Boost

F them if they cant take a joke! really!? This is banned? So should every mustang commercial because it promotes speeding. WTF!?

2ndbimmer - 8/3/2010 10:50:27 AM

+1 Boost

We need to know the names of these people that brought this ad to be banned. its only fair.

2ndbimmer - 8/3/2010 10:50:27 AM

+1 Boost

We need to know the names of these people that brought this ad to be banned. its only fair.

07G35J - 8/9/2010 1:20:57 AM

+1 Boost

I actually think it is very funny. I don't know what's wrong with it.