BMW pulls commercial featuring UAE anthem after outcry

The commercial showed the players reciting the national anthem before a match, then rushing to their BMWs halfway through, after hearing the sound of an engine.

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German car giant BMW has pulled a television commercial that featured the UAE National Anthem after Emiratis and legal experts described it as offensive.

The company said on Wednesday that an edited version of the commercial would be broadcast instead after an outcry on social media.

The commercial showed players from Al Ain Football Club singing the National Anthem before a match. Halfway through, the music breaks with the sound of an engine and the players rush out of the stadium and into BMW vehicles.

Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, vice chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of Al Ain FC, suspended the executive board of the club and Al Ain Club Investment Company, and ordered the formation of a temporary committee to manage the work of both companies.

“National symbols are an integral part of our collective identity. With them we rise,” Sheikh Hazza said on Twitter.

“Under the UAE banner and with our National Anthem we preserve our values and we protect our homeland.

“Al Ain club will continue to be a luminescent torch and will continue its efforts at the service of the country and as part of its athletic and development march. We wish all success to the managing committee we have formed.”

BMW and Abu Dhabi Motors said they intended to show players running towards the end of the anthem, but it seemed cut off because of limited time for the commercial.

“We had 50 seconds to tell a story, to create emotion,” said Amro Husselmann, the general manager for Abu Dhabi Motors, the BMW dealer in Abu Dhabi. “The stadium was full, the audience is cheering, then the players chanted, and only towards the end of the anthem do they start to run towards the cars.”

Following concerns and “out of respect for the feedback received from the community”, the commercial has been removed from all platforms, he said.

A new version that does not include the anthem has been produced “to ensure there can be no further unintentional reference drawn from it”, said Mr Husselmann. “As proud and loyal members of the UAE community, it was never our intention to cause any offence,” he said.

“We are an Emirati-owned company and so always aim to celebrate and promote the UAE’s rich values and culture, which are rightfully recognised around the world for excellence across all aspects of daily life.”

Legal advocate Ali Al Hosani said it was illegal to make commercial use of UAE emblems, such as the National Anthem and the flag.

The video could be considered offensive to the National Anthem, he said. “You are supposed to stand with respect, not run away from the National Anthem for a car. It is unethical.”

Articles found in the Penal Code, Media Law and Constitution relate to the prohibition of such use of UAE emblems, he said. “The penalty could vary between jail and/or a fine,” said Mr Al Hosani.

Nathalie Kareem, an advertising account manager in Abu Dhabi, said: “In my opinion, BMW thought it was targeting locals and football lovers, but it backfired majorly. It is very obvious the ad is targeting young Emirati men, since footballers are always between 20 and 35 ,” said Ms Kareem.

Mohammed Abdulmohsen, a veteran TV professional in Abu Dhabi, said it was obvious the production was edited and cut halfway through. “After they zoom in on [footballer] Omar Abdulrahman’s face, it suddenly cuts off to the wide shot of the players running,” he said.

hdajani@thenational.ae