Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has found itself in hot water after an advertisement depicting an airplane approaching the Eiffel Tower has sparked outrage across social media platforms. The ad, intended to announce the resumption of flights to Paris, was captioned "Paris, we're coming today." However, the timing and imagery raised significant concerns among netizens, with many voicing their discomfort over potential associations with historical tragedies, particularly the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Controversial PIA Ad Draws Criticism for Insensitive Imagery
Controversial PIA Ad Draws Criticism for Insensitive Imagery
Pakistan International Airlines faces backlash for an ad displaying a plane near the Eiffel Tower, prompting calls for accountability.
The advertisement has since gained over 21 million views on social media site X, where users expressed a range of reactions, including questions such as, "Is this an advertisement or a threat?" One commentator even suggested the airline’s marketing team should be dismissed for the oversight.
In response to the growing discontent, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has initiated an investigation into the matter while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned the ad’s misleading implications, according to reports from Geo News.
The parallels drawn between PIA's recent promotional material and the terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives on September 11, 2001, are stark. These attacks saw hijacked planes crash into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, features that have made any imagery involving airplanes near buildings particularly sensitive, especially in relation to global terrorism. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, reported as the architect of the 9/11 plots, was captured in Pakistan in 2003, further complicating the situation.
Omar Quraishi, a Pakistani journalist, expressed his bemusement through social media, questioning the foresight of the airline's management in approving the advertisement. “Did they not think that this would be perceived in a similar fashion?” he critiqued.
This incident marks yet another chapter in PIA's notorious history with controversial advertising and public relations blunders. Notably, a 1979 ad featured a shadow of a passenger jet over the World Trade Center, while in 2017, the airline received ridicule for a goat sacrifice aimed at averting bad luck after a major air disaster. Moreover, PIA’s 2019 directive to flight attendants to lose weight or face job loss drew widespread criticism.
As the debate continues, the repercussions of the ad remain to be seen, calling attention to the need for sensitivity and awareness in marketing practices in an increasingly cautious world.
PakistanAsia
In response to the growing discontent, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has initiated an investigation into the matter while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned the ad’s misleading implications, according to reports from Geo News.
The parallels drawn between PIA's recent promotional material and the terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives on September 11, 2001, are stark. These attacks saw hijacked planes crash into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, features that have made any imagery involving airplanes near buildings particularly sensitive, especially in relation to global terrorism. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, reported as the architect of the 9/11 plots, was captured in Pakistan in 2003, further complicating the situation.
Omar Quraishi, a Pakistani journalist, expressed his bemusement through social media, questioning the foresight of the airline's management in approving the advertisement. “Did they not think that this would be perceived in a similar fashion?” he critiqued.
This incident marks yet another chapter in PIA's notorious history with controversial advertising and public relations blunders. Notably, a 1979 ad featured a shadow of a passenger jet over the World Trade Center, while in 2017, the airline received ridicule for a goat sacrifice aimed at averting bad luck after a major air disaster. Moreover, PIA’s 2019 directive to flight attendants to lose weight or face job loss drew widespread criticism.
As the debate continues, the repercussions of the ad remain to be seen, calling attention to the need for sensitivity and awareness in marketing practices in an increasingly cautious world.
PakistanAsia
