In Italy Fiat often makes use of sexualized female figures in advertisements. Their function is to create an equation of women with automobiles. In a recent Fiat ad for the 500 Abarth, the interchangeability of woman and car is complete, starting with the claim that the car is “seducing and sexy”.

In this advertisement  a woman attempts to seduce a man.  He closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, the woman has turned into an automobile.  The seducer is tattooed on the neck with the logo of the Abarth brand, and her clothes even match the car’s paint colors.  Because she is shown as dominant, some might argue that the ad is not humiliating for women, but the fact remains that she is used to give the automobile sexual qualities that it does not possess.  She does not have a specific identity; she is not a subject; how can a real woman be branded with a car’s logo like an animal!  All she does is act out the qualities that Fiat wants you to associate with the car.

The ad is also offensive for men because tricking them through appeal to their basic instincts is demeaning.

We ask Fiat to withdraw it.

It is high time for Fiat to drop the stereotyped portrayal of women such as we see here.  

Please sign the petition.