By Aradhana Aravindan
MUMBAI, March 26 (Reuters) - An Indian unit of advertisinggroup WPP has sacked employees over a series of ads,including one showing women tied up in the trunk of a Ford driven by ex-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The ads were published days after India approved a toughernew law to punish sex crimes, following the fatal gang rape of astudent in December. That attack sparked unprecedented protestsover the treatment of women in the country.
The ads, uploaded on an industry website, were created byindividuals within JWT India, a unit of WPP, the world's biggestadvertising group.
"We deeply regret the publishing of posters that weredistasteful and contrary to the standards of professionalism anddecency at JWT," a company statement said.
"These were never intended for paid publication, were neverrequested by our Ford client and should never have been created,let alone uploaded to the Internet.
"These posters were created by individuals within the agencyand did not go through the normal review and oversight process.
"After a thorough internal review, we have takenappropriate disciplinary action with those involved, whichincluded the exit of employees at JWT," it said.
Ford India also issued a statement expressing regret overthe incident, but did not comment on whether it was taking anyaction against the agency.
One of the ads shows Berlusconi, charged in Italy withpaying for sex with a minor, sitting in the front seat of a FordFigo hatchback flashing a victory sign, with a trio ofhalf-dressed women bound and gagged in the trunk.
Another featured a caricature of celebrity Paris Hilton inthe driver's seat, and three women resembling the Kardashiansisters bound in the trunk with the tagline "Leave your worriesbehind with Figo's extra large boot".
"This was the result of individuals acting without properoversight and appropriate actions have been taken within theagency where they work to deal with the situation," WPP said.
Comments on Twitter and Facebook dismissed the ads as"shameful" and "disgusting".
"If this is what Ford represents, I will never buy Fordagain, and try my best not to sit in one," a Facebook user said.
WPP (WPP)
