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Audi has provoked a backlash across China with a new advertisement comparing women to used cars, an apparent mis-step by the German carmaker in a market upon which it has become heavily reliant for sales.
奥迪(Audi)一则将女性比作二手车的新广告在中国各地引发强烈不满，这是这家德国车企在中国市场犯下的一个明显失误。奥迪的销售收入现在严重依赖中国市场。
The ad, which debuted this week online and in movie theatres, has been slammed as “disturbing and disrespectful” by the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist party.
这则广告是本周在网上和电影院里亮相的。中国执政的共产党的机关报《人民日报》(the People’s Daily)批评这则广告“令人不快、不尊重人”。
Evidently intended as a good-natured poke at stereotypically obnoxious mothers-in-law, the ad, for a website selling “Audi-approved” second-hand cars, opens on an outdoor wedding scene as the bride and groom say their vows.
这则广告是为了宣传一个销售“奥迪官方认证”二手车的网站，明显意在善意地讽刺一下带有成见、令人讨厌的婆婆。广告开头是一幕户外婚礼场景，新郎新娘正在念他们的誓词。
Suddenly, the groom’s mother storms into the ceremony and proceeds to poke and prod the bride, even yanking open her jaw to check her teeth. As everyone present looks on aghast, the groom’s mother triumphantly gives the “OK” sign as she walks back to her seat.
突然，新郎的母亲冲入仪式现场，对新娘这拨拨那捅捅，甚至拽开她的下颚检查她牙齿。当在场所有人都一脸惊愕时，新郎的母亲走回座位，满意地摆出一个“OK”的手势。
The scene is followed by a clip of red Audi sedan driving away, accompanied by a male voiceover saying that “important decisions must be made carefully” and that “only with an official certification can you relax”.
这一幕之后，画面上出现一辆行驶中的红色奥迪轿车，配以一名男性的画外音，称“重要决定必须谨慎”，以及“官方认证才放心”。
Chinese social media sites lit up with outrage over the “sexism” in the ad, and many users threatened boycotts.
广告中的“性别歧视”在中国社交媒体网站上引发众怒，许多用户威胁要进行抵制。
“Is this what a big corporate’s core values are like?” said Weibo user @Lanv. “Objectifying women?.?.?.?cheap” said Weibo user @52Hz deqiutu.
微博用户“辣女”表示：“一个大企业的价值观和内涵就是这样的吗？”微博用户“52Hz的囚徒”表示：“物化女性吧，确实挺下作的。”
Audi said it was investigating the ad, and that marketing decisions were made by its local joint venture in China.
奥迪表示它正在调查这则广告，并称这些营销决定是由其在华合资企业作出的。
China is the world’s largest car market, having overtaken the US in 2009, and a major source of revenues for premium brands. Audi last year sold 591,000 cars on the mainland — 31 per cent of its global sales.
中国于2009年超越美国成为全球最大汽车市场，它也是高端品牌的主要收入来源之一。去年，奥迪在中国内地售出59.1万辆汽车，占其全球销量的31%。
The German carmaker is especially dependent on China for earnings. It does not break out its mainland revenues and profits but an analysis by Evercore concluded that Audi made 56 per cent of its global profits before taxes last year in China, from the sale of cars both locally produced and imported as well as selling parts and collecting royalties.
这家德国车企在盈利上尤为依赖中国。虽然奥迪未单独列出其在中国内地的收入和利润，但Evercore的分析师推定，奥迪去年全球税前利润的56%由中国贡献，这来自中国当地生产的和进口的奥迪汽车的销售，以及零配件销售和特许权使用费。
Audi’s sales in China have plunged this year after a dispute with dealers over plans by its parent Volkswagen to add Chinese carmaker SAIC as a second joint-venture partner, thus increasing competition and eroding their profits.
今年，奥迪在华销量大幅下挫。此前，奥迪母公司大众汽车(Volkswagen)抛出一项计划，拟将中国车企上汽集团(SAIC)列为奥迪的第二个合资伙伴。此举将加剧竞争、侵蚀奥迪现有经销商的利润，这让这些经销商与奥迪起了争执。
Audi’s sales in January were down 35 per cent lower from the same month in 2016, but in May the carmaker announced it had reached a deal with dealers and expected sales to now recover.
奥迪今年1月的销量同比下降35%，但5月份该公司宣布与经销商达成协议，预计其销量现已回升。
Xing Lei, chief editor of China Automotive Review, said that while he had not seen the ad, he did not believe it would affect Audi’s sales strongly in China. “Other brands have made similar mistakes too” he said, without elaborating. “But we shall see whether this will be elevated to a bigger deal.”
《中国汽车要闻》(China Automotive Review)主编邢磊表示，虽然他还没看到这则广告，但他相信此事对奥迪在华销量不会造成很大影响。他说：“其他品牌也犯过类似的错误（他未具体指明）。不过，我们会拭目以待，看此事是否会升级。”
Additional reporting by Sherry Fei Ju
俱菲(Sherry Fei Ju)补充报道
