Welcome to the next installment of the Car Industry Strikes Back series. On today's programme, we'll be travelling to Colombia, where Chevrolet desperately tries to reverse the tide of demotorisation and the rise of the bicycle.
This series highlights how the car industry, around the world, are shifting the focus of their advertising to go after bicycles and ridicule bicycle users. A clear sign that bicycles as transportation are gaining in influence. When you become a target for the car industry, you're doing something good.
If the 'oh so green' colour of the above graphics isn't cheesy enough, the text is:
"At the moment I ride a bicycle but with ChevyPlan I can now afford a car"
While Bogota's fame as a bicycle city from the early 90's is waning (police confiscating bicycles from cyclists who don't wear helmets, etc), the city is still more bicycle-friendly than many other places. A new bike share system has brought the bicycle back to the surface and this is how Chevrolet saw fit to react.
Offering citizens to bury themselves in debt, contribute to making the streets unsafe and adding to the emissions levels in Columbian cities.
What a deal!
Here's the site for ChevyPlan Colombia. Be warned, ridiculous singing will blare out of your speakers.
If you fancy letting them know that they're silly, here's a link to a contact form: http://www.chevyplan.com.co/Chevyplan/Chevyplan/paginas/documento.aspx?idr=1474
For more from the Car Industry Strikes Back series, here's the link to the posts - Car Industry Strikes Back.
Thanks to David in Bogota for the link.