MERCEDES-BENZ Australia/Pacific has taken swift action to remove a billboard and review its future marketing campaigns after copping criticism from a prominent Sydneysider about the advertisement’s inappropriate military references.

The ad was for the C200 sedan and its sub-$70,000 pricetag, with the picture on the left of the car carrying the “awe” title and the imagery on the right titled “shock” and showing the price.

Chief executive of the TheEthicalCEO.com and chief growth officer of Humanitix, Adam Long, said in a LinkedIn post that the billboard was a direct reference to the “shock and awe” military campaign in Iraq in 2003.

“This week I called out Mercedes-Benz on using military references in their advertising – to sell cars. It took less than 48 hours for them to remove the billboard. Each is worth up to $100,000 a month,” Mr Long said.

“Is this okay? 6616 civilians died to make this billboard in Sydney.

“I wonder if Mercedes-Benz Australia CEO Horst von Sanden … or APN Outdoor intends to follow up in the coming fortnight with a September 11 themed ad? Fewer civilians died in those attacks, so it might be less offensive. Or perhaps an ad that leverages the recent anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?”

Mr von Sanden followed up.

“Thank you for your note regarding our recent retail campaign and bringing this to our attention,” he replied in LinkedIn.

“Our intention is certainly not to endorse or reference any military action in our marketing material.

“Following your message we immediately took steps with our creative agency to remove any reference that may infer this notion.

“We have also revised and enhanced our creative process to ensure that future marketing campaigns are more closely scrutinised prior to publication.”

Mr Long said: “It’s heartening that the billboards were removed – I’m grateful that the Mercedes-Benz team chose a better direction.

“To me, it wasn’t just a billboard. When we normalise violence, or celebrate military adventurism, violence stops being shocking and becomes background noise. It becomes a constant of life, that society accepts apathetically.

“This creates the conditions for politicians to launch the next war with minimal pushback.

“We get the standard we walk past. Advertisers create the world they publish. And we always get to choose.”

By Neil Dowling