Volvo under fire for Shanghai show 'babes'
Published: 20 Apr 11 14:58 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/33324/20110420/
When Volvo opened their display for the press at the Auto Shanghai 2011 fair in China there were a number of women in evening dresses, high heels and immaculate make up were there to greet the gathered journalists.
- Volvo Cars admits to 'unrealistic' sales targets (3 Jun 13)
- EU green lights Volvo and Dongfeng merger (8 May 13)
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In the Volvo display the models moved around to assume poses around the vehicles and had their make up touched up in the unrelenting sun.
“They are our new truck-drivers," Pär Östberg, CEO of Volvo Trucks Asia said in a an attempt at a joke with the gathered journalists.
When he didn’t get many laughs, he continued by saying that this kind of thing ‘seems popular’ in China.
At the time, Östberg didn’t want to answer questions as to why Volvo was using the models to tout trade.
Later, when news of the display was starting to reach the press, he is reported to have telephoned news agency TT to make a statement.
“I can honestly say that I was rather taken aback with how it looked. It isn’t usually like that and it shouldn’t be,” he told TT.
According to Östberg, Volvo has the same respect for women wherever the company is based worldwide.
Having models pose around the trucks severely crossed the line of what they consider appropriate.
“It's not something we would endorse as a company,“ he said.
According to TT, Östberg claims to have looked further into the matter and found that it was the local organisers in China who have had their wires crossed. The models will not be staying in the Volvo display.
“We will remove them immediately. They don’t belong there,” Per Östberg told TT.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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All vehicle companies use "Booth Professionals." Most of them actually know a lot about the vehicles. Mostly guys attend these shows and ask about cars. They would rather ask a babe than a dweeb.
Many of them prefer to look at the the babe than the car.
If they like the dweeb then they are playing for the other team, but who cares.
they are simply over dressed! and if nobody is paying attention they should jump up in the cab and make some noise and black smoke!
perfectly fine to have some truckers there for information dissemination!
I personally think Trucking would benefit from large numbers of Women in evening wear.
What the hell can Swedish publicity about the sales anyway. On the contrary, if I'm the CEO I'd rather take hits from feminazists than not boosting sales by a few percent hiring babes. Pär Östberg got no balls, he only wants to keep himself clean.
(Possibly envious.)