Shanghai Volkswagen has withdrawn a series of controversial ads from the Beijing subway after complaints that they denigrated subways passengers and mocked environmentally friendly transport.

 

However, the company said the change to new ads for its Polo Jinqu model was the next step in the marketing strategy and denied it was in response to a public backlash, Beijing Youth Daily reported Thursday.

 

The new ads have abandoned the previous wording that triggered anger from subway passengers.

 

"Subway passengers are our first target customers and we have no reason nor desire to upset them," a spokesman for the Shanghai-based Sino-German joint venture company told the newspaper.

 

The previous Polo ads posted in the Beijing's crowded Xidan Subway Station infuriated passengers with such lines as:

 

-- "No need to dress up when you are jostling with others on the subway. And you haven't bought a Polo Jinqu anyway."

 

-- "Some people are choking underground waiting for a subway train; some are taking their own road and driving a Polo Jinqu."

 

The ads have drawn flak for their perceived disdain towards subway passengers in the national capital where hundreds of thousands of people rely on the swift, reliable and environmentally friendly subway every day.

 

An Internet user named "Sun" said on the Pchome website that the ads were derogatory of those who didn't drive a car.

 

Someone the ads on the Internet, "No need to dress up when you drive a Polo. And you haven't bought a private plane anyway."

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2006)