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    FTC Sues VW Over False Advertising Claims

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments4743 Views
    This is a framegrab from a Volkswagen commercial for a vehicle with their TDI Clean Diesel engine. A federal consumer watchdog sued Volkswagen Tuesday, March 29, 2016, charging the company made false claims in commercials promoting its "Clean Diesel" vehicles as environmentally friendly. (Volkswagen/Youtube via AP)

    Alleges carmaker deceived customers over a 7-year span with "Clean Diesel" marketing campaign

    By Michael Biesecker

    WASHINGTON (AP) --

    A federal consumer watchdog sued Volkswagen on Tuesday, charging the company made false claims in commercials promoting its "Clean Diesel" vehicles as environmentally friendly.

    The German automaker hastily pulled the ads following last year's admission it had installed illegal software on its diesel vehicles to cheat emissions tests. U.S. regulators say Volkswagen's engines spewed up to 40 times the allowed levels of air pollutants in real-world driving conditions.

    The Federal Trade Commission alleges that Volkswagen deceived customers during a seven-year period by selling more than 550,000 diesel cars based on fraudulent claims made through a marketing campaign. That campaign included Super Bowl ads, online social media campaigns and print advertising targeted to "environmentally conscious" consumers.

    "Hybrids? They're so last year," Volkswagen proclaimed in a mailer to customers promoting its 2009 Jetta TDI. "Now going green doesn't have to feel like you're going green."

    The FTC's action is the latest blow to Volkswagen, which also faces more than $20 billion in potential fines for violating U.S. clean air regulations and hundreds of class action lawsuits filed on behalf of angry customers.

    "For years Volkswagen's ads touted the company's 'Clean Diesel' cars even though it now appears Volkswagen rigged the cars with devices designed to defeat emissions tests," said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. "Our lawsuit seeks compensation for the consumers who bought affected cars based on Volkswagen's deceptive and unfair practices."

    In addition to the raft of civil litigation, the Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency is also weighing potential criminal charges against the company and senior executives.

    Volkswagen Group of America spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said the company is reviewing the latest lawsuit and "continues to cooperate with all relevant U.S. regulators."

    "Our most important priority is to find a solution to the diesel emissions matter and earn back the trust of our customers and dealers as we build a better company," Ginivan said.

    Category:News
    Tags:Federal Trade CommissionFTCVolkswagen



    Is “Glicked” The New “Barbenheimer”? “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” Hit Theater Screens

    Thursday, November 21, 2024

    "Barbenheimer" was a phenomenon impossible to manufacture. But, more than a year later, that hasn't stopped people from trying to make "Glicked" — or even "Babyratu" — happen.

    The counterprogramming of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office.

    And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, "Saw Patrol" ).

    This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation "Wicked" opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic "Gladiator II." Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: "Wickiator," "Wadiator," "Gladwick" and even the eyebrow raising "Gladicked" have all been suggested.

    "'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more," actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of "Gladiator II" this week. "I think we should all band around 'Glicked.' It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it."

    As with "Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, "Glicked" also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging... Read More

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