Chinese models strip to promote cars

A car showroom in Heilongjiang, China, has been slammed by Chinese netizens for getting models to strip in order to promote their cars. According to a Sept 3 report by Apple Daily, the car models were initially clad in bikinis. The girls then started to pose provocatively with the cars before losing their clothes and going the full Monty. Other reports in Chinese media said Chinese netizens were shocked by the publicity stunt and decried the business for using any means possible to chase after profits. Though businesses have been exploiting beautiful women to retail their products, the use of nude models is reportedly a first in China, one report said. The models are promoting their flesh instead of the cars, it added. The incident comes on the heels of another report on a Chinese television show that purportedly teaches women how to be "perfect". The show released a provocative 43-second trailer with plenty of scantily clad women on its microblog and attracted over 13,000 comments, according to website Chinasmack. Similar promotion in Singapore One Singaporean business ran a similar promotion. Remember Motoring Exchange, a motoring classifieds website that was launched in October 2009? Its URL is now a dead link but before its launch, the motoring portal organised a topless car wash, albeit a "private" one, that raised eyebrows. 20 winners were selected from the portal's Facebook contest. The location of the shoot was also kept secret. Mr Gerald Chen, then 29, told The New Paper that the event was a publicity stunt for the portal. He readily admitted to TNP that he was out to court controversy to attract attention. It is nothing new to use models or race queens to promote cars. However, is getting them to strip crossing the line?