GM asked to withdraw “anti-family” TV ads or face boycott

General Motors (GM) Africa president and managing director, Edgar Lourencon, has been asked to withdraw the company’s “appalling anti-family” Red Tag television advertising campaign.

In a letter to Lourencon, Family Policy Institute (FPI) president, Errol Naidoo, says GM’s Red Tag TV campaign appears to commend their staff for spending long hours at work to make the organisation successful to the obvious neglect and detriment of the family. He says FPI requests the immediate cancellation of the ” appalling anti-family campaign”.

To date Gateway News has not been able to reach any GM media spokesmen for comment on FPI’s request but has left voice and email messages requesting comment.

- Advertisement -

The FPI letter says: “The breakdown of the family and the resulting horrific consequences are the subject matter of GM’s advertising campaign. Two morally reprehensible adverts are repeatedly broadcast on national South African television which highlights the tragic reality of family dysfunction in the country.

- Advertisement -

“The first includes a wife giving birth to a child that is obviously not her husband’s and the second shows a father hitting on a teenage girl only to discover it’s his daughter. The punch line in both these disturbing adverts is that all of this transpires because these men are more committed to GM than their families.

“Adultery and incestuous relationships are the cause of much horror, murder and social dysfunction in South African society. The fact that a major company like GM finds family dysfunction humorous and goes as far to commend parental neglect through a major advertising campaign – is morally unjustifiable. There is nothing funny about parental neglect of families, adultery or incestuous relationships. GM’s advertising campaign appears to reward men & women who neglect their families and poke fun at the resulting catastrophic consequences on society.

As a result, Family Policy Institute has requested that GM immediately withdraw it’s appalling anti-family advertising campaign or face a nationwide boycott from pro-family consumers.”

- Advertisement -

4 Comments

  1. I for one don’t need anyone working on my car more than their own family.

  2. I support this the call from FPI. As the church our mandate is to built and restore families and we call on all God fearing people to make their voices heard. Yes to Healthy Families.

  3. The truth is that if whatever we did we worked at it with all our heart as working for the Lord, no employer would ever need us to prioritise them above our families and our God

  4. Im encouraged to see Men of courage leaving comments of support for the recall of GM’s Ad campaign. Ad agencies and companies like GM, has
    a social responsibility to portray families in a positive light. Healthy families is the mandate for every husband and father. So please GM, rather built families up and do not degrade them with immoral advertisements.