Sixt Greece issued an apology to the Greek consumers.
Less than a week ago, German car rental company Sixt launched an online campaign, promoting its low rates.
The ad appeared both online and in the German newspaper, Welt, inviting Greek consumers to bring forth their “drachmas“.
Clearly an ad that attempted – and failed – to infuse humor, by referencing the current state of the Greek economy.
Drachmas, however, have not been legal tender since 2001 as Greece is part of the Eurozone.
The Sixt “drachma” ad created an uproar that sent Greeks assaulting the Sixt Facebook page and services, leaving angry messages behind.
The following day, Sixt removed the messages and the ad itself from its web site, at Sixt.de with no further explanation.
On the Greek web site Sixt.gr, the company issued an apology in three languages: German, English and Greek:
“Sorry Greece! We apologize for the Greece-Advertisement in Germany!”
While the apology was issued, it is very clear that such an act has permanently tarnished the image of the German company in Greece.
