Toyota Australia’s ‘sexist, incestuous’ ad backfires

Toyota Australia's first foray into social media - using online social networks to promote its Yaris model - has backfired badly, as the company was forced to pull it out after it was slammed as sexist.

It might have seemed a good idea to Toyota - hold an online competition for a short film promoting the car, put the winning entry on social networking sites like Facebook, and watch the car fly out of the showrooms. But the outcome may be just the opposite.

The film, made as part of the online 'Clever Film Comp' organised by Toyota in conjunction with advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi, shows a father and a young male having a conversation about a date with the young daughter, which is laden with crude double entendre.

The video, entitled "Clean Getaways", includes phrases such as "I'm here to take Jennifer's virginity out tonight", "I'm coming", "She can take a good pounding in any direction," the girl saying "I'm ready to blow," and ending with "I'll have her on her back by 11", as the father jumps with joy.

One of the conditions listed in the competition's rules is that videos submitted for the $7,000-first prize should not have been "not be immoral".

After a tally of viewer votes pushed the ad into the top ranking, the competition's Facebook page filled with remarks describing the winning film as juvenile, offensive, and promoting incest.