Citroen slammed for ‘predatory’ ad

A Citroen ad has attracted criticism in Egypt for its apparent promotion of sexual harassment

French carmaker Citroen has come under fire for “romanticizing sexual harassment” after putting out an advertisement in Egypt touting a new feature that apparently allows drivers to click pictures of unsuspecting pedestrians.

The ad for the manufacturer’s new C4 vehicle was released earlier this month, but has more recently become the subject of furious debate on social media, after women’s rights activists in Egypt criticized its promotion of “predatory behavior.”

In the advertisement, prominent Egyptian singer Amr Diab is shown driving the vehicle before almost running over a woman crossing the road. They then glance at each other, while Diab appears to press a button on either the rear-view mirror or windscreen.

This results in a photograph of “the beautiful moment” being snapped and transmitted to Diab’s phone. Later, the woman is seen going out on a date night and car ride with him. The ad has been viewed more than three million times on YouTube, while clips from it have been widely shared on social media.

Of all the ads you could do @Citroen, you went with the sexual harassment and stalking approach, and gave a boost to predatory behaviour in a country notorious for sexual harassment. Your marketing department thoroughly discussed this and actually agreed to this disaster? https://t.co/3plRrCYsw7

— Amro Ali (@_amroali) December 28, 2021

“Photographing others without their permission is a crime,” Speak Up, an Egyptian platform that supports “victims of violence,” noted, as it shared the video on Twitter. Describing Diab’s actions as “harassment,” Speak Up added that it was not “normal” or “acceptable” to do this, despite his celebrity and the ad being framed in a “romantic context.”

The group also warned that there had been multiple incidents in Egypt where women have caught strangers taking photos of them without consent, with the perpetrators being fined and sentenced to prison terms, according to news outlet Egyptian Streets.

تصوير الغير بدون إذنه جريمـة بيعاقب عليها القانون..
حتى لو اللي بيعمل ده حد مشهـور وفي سياق رومانسي ده مش هيخليه عادي أو شيء مقبول؛ هيفضل اسمه تحرش. pic.twitter.com/VqBNNuuHRu

— Speak Up (@SpeakUp_00) December 28, 2021

Prominent Egyptians, including actress Rosaline Elbay, have also weighed in on the issue, calling the ad an example of “sexual harassment” and asking whether Citroen knew if it was a “crime.” Poet and activist Sabah Khodir questioned whether the carmaker really did a sales commercial that promoted its “improved technology that helps you harass women quicker and effortlessly.” 

Neither Citroen nor Diab – who has been called out for allegedly “objectifying women” – has commented on the controversy yet. Egyptian Streets has alleged that the carmaker’s division in the country has been deleting negative feedback and criticism from its social media posts.