VW goes to court over spoof ad

Volkswagen AG has filed criminal charges over a spoof advertisement for its Polo small car that has been circulating on the Internet, Europe's biggest carmaker said on Friday.

The so-called viral ad - unauthorised by Volkswagen or its advertising agencies - shows a suicide bomber detonating his explosives in a Polo parked outside a busy cafe, only to have the car absorb the blast.

The 20-second spot ends with the Volkswagen logo and the Polo's actual advertising motto: Small but Tough.

Company spokesman Hartwig von Sass said VW lodged a criminal complaint with prosecutors in Brunswick, Germany, but did not specify a perpetrator. "This is an attack on Volkswagen's good name," he said of the ad, which he called cynical and criminal.

He could not say who made the film, or with what aim.

Under German law, it is possible to file charges against persons unknown and prosecutors and police are obliged to try to track down the perpetrators. The VW spokesman said the complaint was about "all crimes that could be considered in this regard".

Britain's Guardian newspaper reported on its website this week that the ad was made by a London-based advertising partnership called Lee and Dan, whom the publication said had apologised, but refused to identify themselves.

In an interview with the newspaper, a man identified as the ad's director said he was horrified by the reaction, and had only meant it to be used on a reel for luring new business, not to be seen by the public.