Kia Sportage Ad Sparks Pedophilia Controversy (PHOTO)

A new Kia ad is raising eyebrows—with some even saying that it promotes pedophilia.

The ad, which promotes a dual-zone climate control feature in one of Kia's cars, took home the Silver Press Lion at the prestigious Cannes Lion Awards. But it is controversial, to say the least.

The ad features a teacher lusting after his elementary school-aged student. On one side of the page, she appears as a young girl. On the other side, though, she becomes a scantily clad, buxom teen, seemingly as a product of the teacher's imagination.

It's clearly designed to shock, and is succeeding. The advertising blog Copyranter called it "one of the sleaziest car ads ever," and noted that it doesn't even visualize the benefits of dual climate control very well.

What do you think? Does the ad cross a line? Tell us in our poll below.

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Comments

[Juan E Robles]

12:59 PM on 07/20/2011

In all seriousness, how is this ad supposed to convince me to trade in my focus for a Kia? Aside from being in poor taste, I fail to see how this ad is supposed to be effective.

[Juan E Robles]

12:55 PM on 07/20/2011

They should have added a panel where Chris Hansen shows up with a camera crew.

[lawteacher1]

07:16 PM on 07/06/2011

When this add first came to light, I tweeted Kia and got a response that the US branch were in no way affiliated with it. I subsequently RT the add and the outrage, both UK and US, forced KIA to remove the add and to investigate why it was ever published. They have since (24 June 2011) released a statement which can be read here: http://www.kiamedia.com/secure/corporate062411a.html

Gary Walters
Twitter handle: lawteacher1

[kansasbashkir]

08:41 AM on 07/05/2011

This ad has nothing to do with any car. It seeks attention by promoting something that damages children past their childhood. Shame on KIA! No KIA's in my future!

[MantisBot]

11:00 PM on 07/03/2011

So, uh, where's the car?

[Eric Joseph M Peterson]

01:01 PM on 07/02/2011

Interesting that this is posted next to the Pedophile catcher himself, but take away the left side of the cartoon and it doesn't have the same impact. Sexism is a tool that sells alot of stuff and the sad part is were is the show to catch a rapist. Rape has the most unsolved crimes of any crime.
Chris Hansen is not exposing anything by catching would be wanna B's famous idiots who are so stupid they actually walk into the camera's to get their 2mins of fame...talk about the spot light attracting flies? Your really working hard their Chris..

[CarlGustavJung]

04:04 PM on 07/01/2011

Normalizing intergenerational sex is part of the agenda. Brake down all moral norms. This makes for a population which is not sure what they believe. They will then look to the archons for their new beliefs.

[European1919]

05:16 AM on 06/30/2011

People see in it what they want to see.
Where does that leave all the perverts shouting it promotes kiddie fiddling?

[haha no]

04:20 PM on 06/30/2011

Wringing their hands and shifting their eyes around perhaps? :)

[CarlGustavJung]

04:05 PM on 07/01/2011

it leaves us in reality.

[The One True Dave]

09:58 PM on 06/29/2011

As a veteran I've never liked the idea of owning a car with KIA on the hood anyway, but this is just one more reason I'll never do so. This is not cool.

[haha no]

07:21 PM on 06/29/2011

Wow. Sure are a lot of ignorant knee jerking reactions here.

[taiwanjohn]

09:44 PM on 06/29/2011

Ignorant? Of what? What piece of knowledge am I missing that would make this ad seem acceptable? It's not my knee that's jerking, it's my stomach that's churning when I see this ad. It's a clever idea, juxtaposing two different emotional states for the same conversation, but putting kids and sex together like this is beyond inappropriate.

[haha no]

04:29 AM on 06/30/2011

Look up the actual definition of pedophile to start with. People have gotten way too lax with it, and tend to be completely wrong in their use of it to start with.

[Summer4Progress]

05:58 PM on 06/29/2011

That is a very disturbing ad, but it's not like I would have ever bought a Kia before anyways.

[Lauren Shaw]

06:32 PM on 06/28/2011

Great way to alienate tons of customers and potential customers, Kia. I also think you need to hire some real advertising professionals. Besides, I wouldn't even think to buy one before, but really won't now!

[ackezzy]

04:10 PM on 06/28/2011

i wouldn't recommend buying a kia before i saw this advert

[Bernie M]

01:41 PM on 06/28/2011

As the father of school-aged children this is disgusting. About ready to call Kia Marketing and tell them I do not plan on ever buying one of their cars and telling all of my friends that Kia promotos pedophilia.

[Snuzyaluz]

12:35 PM on 06/28/2011

I don't know about "disgusting", but it is sexist and demeaning...objectifying, maybe? Considering, the little girl is the one imagining(and I don't remember pretending to look like THAT ever), I don't see pedophilia as much as just teenboy objectifying women...you mean it wasn't designed by a 15 year old????