The company expressed, in an official statement, its “deep regret” about the controversial announcement, and its “understanding of the public’s anger.”
“Therefore, we have taken the decision to withdraw this copy of the commercial from all of the company’s social media platforms, and we offer our sincerest apologies to everyone who was upset by this scene,” the statement added.
During the deleted advertisement, Amr Diab appears driving the new advertised car, and almost hits a young woman crossing the road, but he stops and takes a picture of her through a camera built into the car.
In the clip, it is clear that the young woman did not give her consent to take a picture of her, but that did not prevent the famous singer from smiling while looking at the picture he took stealth, and then inviting her to accompany him for a walk inside the car.
In previous statements to “Sky News Arabia,” media expert Yasser Abdel Aziz explained that “the advertisement directly encourages the use of technological means to harass others, which is punishable by law as an immoral act.”
He explained that the advertisement “succeeded in provoking controversy, but it did not succeed in the most important thing, which is respecting professional standards, and properly promoting the advantages of the product offered to the public.”
The company’s decision to withdraw the controversial ad was met with a welcome reaction on social media platforms, with references to the public’s ability to stand up to any product that harms society.
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