Audi apologises for advert showing little girl eating a banana

German carmaker Audi has apologised for an ‘insensitive’ advert showing a little girl leaning on the front of a high-performance car while she eats a banana.

The advert, promoting the Audi RS 4 Avant, was posted on the company’s official Twitter account and attracted criticism from some social media users who described it as “sexually suggestive”, “strange” and “creepy”.

Critics also suggested the advert glorifies “dangerous driving” and shows a child at risk of being run over.

“We hear you and let’s get this straight: We care for children. The Audi RS 4 is a family car with more than thirty driver assistance systems including an emergency break system. That’s why we showcased it with various family members for the campaign.

We hoped we could convey these messages, showing that even for the weakest traffic participants it is possible to relaxingly lean on the RS technology. That was a mistake! Audi never intended to hurt anyone’s feelings.

We sincerely apologize for this insensitive image and ensure that it will not be used in future. We will also immediately examine internally, how this campaign has been created and if control mechanisms failed in this case. “

However, other social media users said they could not see what was “offensive” or “provocative” about the advert.

See more reactions below;

@Holly__Storm: Right, so for all the banally, but thankfully morally minded people saying “you need yer head lookin at” if anyone sees this as wrong etc, there’s something called cultural conditioning. You see it with things which seems mildly offensive or inappropriate, but are overlooked and

@FoxxysTweets: The problem is not with the advert or a girl eating a banana, its the friggin sickos who see a young girl eating a banana and their minds go to sex.

@DipBrig11: Apologised? How the hell us this ‘sensitive? It’s a child eating a banana.
What sickos see anything else??

@Calvinroche1: I’m offended by this…how dare people not be offended by this content…utterly disgraceful…Audi should be liquidated for this behaviour

Audi said the advert was a “mistake”, tweeting that such mistake would not be made in future. Their Twitter statement read;