RICHARD GERE - FIAT APOLOGISES OVER GERE COMMERCIAL

FIAT APOLOGISES OVER GERE COMMERCIAL

A commercial starring RICHARD GERE has landed Italian car firm Fiat in big trouble in China.
Company bosses have apologised to the Chinese government, fearing a nationwide boycott of Fiat cars, after airing the advert, which shows Gere driving from Hollywood to Tibet.
It follows months of protest around the globe over the plight of Tibet in the build up to this summer's (08) Olympic Games in Beijing. The country is attempting to gain autonomy from China, with the help of supporters including Gere.
And although a Fiat spokesperson insists the ad will not be pulled, he has issued an apology: "Fiat ...has recently been advised that certain advertising... could disturb the sensibility of the people within China.
"Fiat Group extends its apologies to the Government of the People's Republic of China and to the Chinese people."