During the Super Bowl, Volkswagen attempted to convince America that their cars no longer need to be dumped the second they go off warranty by showing all the German engineers who get their wings when those cars hit 100,000 miles. So, uh, where are the ladies?
Yes, Volkswagen experienced a minor backlash on the Internet after the ad last night because none of the winged, rainbow-pooping engineers in the ad are women. Mind you, there are a few women in the ad, but none of them seem to sprout wings. One of them even gets groped in an elevator. You sure you're in 2014, Volkswagen?
Here's what one leading female engineer told the Chicago Sun-Times:
"I was anticipating that I would really like [the ad], but I was just disappointed," said Stacey DelVecchio, president of the Society of Women Engineers, an international group headquartered in Chicago. "They could have promoted more diversity."
DelVecchio wasn't the only one who was disappointed.
Sad how there are no female German engineers. A country in crisis.
— Andrea Grimes (@andreagrimes) February 3, 2014
We all learned an important lesson from @Volkswagen's "Wings" commercial: women can't be engineers. http://t.co/7xpVQFGX0I
— Juston Payne (@justonpayne) February 3, 2014
So I guess in Germany there are no Women engineers? Or does the wingless female slapping the winged engineer count? #NotBuyingIt #volkswagen
— Theresa (@tacordon) February 3, 2014
#Volkswagen, women engineers exist and they exist for more than just to be sexually harassed.
— Kari Shoolbraid (@dotyourTs) February 3, 2014
Riiight...except for having ZERO women engineers. Complete fail. RT @ericheggie: Volkswagen winning the evening so far.
— Alison McQuade (@akmcquade) February 3, 2014
Dear Volkswagen: Women are engineers too. They are not just present to be objects of male engineer attraction.
— Mr. Arbit (@MrArbit) February 3, 2014
And getting slammed for lack of women engineers @Adweek: VOLKSWAGEN: Grade: A- http://t.co/nN1lsiDpQb http://ift.tt/1nITb1N”
— Katy Bachman (@KatyontheHill) February 3, 2014
Noticed. #sexist ads RT @mattyglesias: "she doesn't get wings, apparently on account of being a lady." http://t.co/IhFrjy9sq0
— Lauren Dillon (@llcdillon) February 3, 2014
Well, now we know: Of all the hands that go into building a Volkswagen, none of them lack a Y chromosome.
Apparently There Are No Women Engineers At Volkswagen