Volvo Announces Their New Policy On Parental Leave, But Many People Aren’t Happy With Their Choice Of Illustration
It’s no surprise that the majority of big brands are jumping the bandwagon on progressive and liberal ad campaigns. However, such initiatives often attract a great deal of controversy (for example, two of Gillette’s advertisement campaigns have received huge backlash over their progressive ads – one on body positivity – and the other on toxic masculinity). Now the Swedish multinational manufacturing company, Volvo, has come under the spotlight for featuring two same-sex parents in their most recent ad. The company was introducing its newest paid gender-neutral parental leave policy which was inspired by the Swedish approach to parental leave and chose an illustration of two same-sex parents which stirred up controversy on their Facebook page.
More info: Volvo
Today, the giant car company, Volvo, has come under fire for featuring two same-sex parents in their ad
Image credits: Volvo cars
The car manufacturing giant has introduced a new policy on paid, gender-neutral parental leave for their employees. This is how Volvo has introduced the idea: “Being the human-centric and progressive company that we are, our EMEA team wondered: Can we extend those benefits to our employees outside Sweden? Turns out we can. To start with, we now introduce a paid, gender-neutral parental leave policy for all our sales company employees in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East & Africa) offering parents a total of six months of leave with 80 percent pay.” The head of Volvo’s HR also added: “The EMEA initiative is one of several activities with the aim to create an inclusive culture and attract and retain a diverse set of people. It improves life-work balance, boosts family time and fits with a progressive, human-centric company like Volvo Cars.”
Most countries in the EMEA region already offer some form of paid parental leave
However, as Volvo explains, there exists a large discrepancy between what is available for mothers and fathers – often to the disadvantage of the latter. The policy is also aiming to boost the labor market and career opportunities for women by “reducing career and pay gaps.”
It is not the first Volvo initiative on addressing inclusivity
Image credits: Volvo Car UK
Just last year, the car company released an ad called “The new family model.” In the Westfield shopping center in London, Volvo has redesigned the family parking icons to reflect more modern families – including ones of same-sex parents.
However, many people were not happy with Volvo’s choice of illustration
A Volvo representative responded to Michael’s comment saying: “Hi Michael, you are of course entitled to your opinion. However, we must disagree.”
Another user commented that Volvo should feature the same ad on the Volvo Cars United Arab Emirates page. No representative has responded to it yet.
Volvo representatives have also responded to the suggestion, saying: “Hello Konrad. This is part of our people strategy. Being a human-centric company with a culture built on caring about people, this is in line with what we stand for as a company.”
The comment section turned into quite a discussion
Nonetheless, numerous people were celebrating the initiative as well as Volvo’s choice of illustration
What do you think? Is it “too much” for you? Is the company just trying to boost their revenue by exploiting progressive and popular ideas? Or are they really as liberal and human-centric as they claim to be?
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Share on FacebookIt's more about them just being inclusive and normalizing something that should never have been a stigma, than trying "shove" a social issue down your throat. I bet your grand parents felt the same way when they saw movies/commercials where women had a job outside of the home, or when they showed Black People and White People interacting peacefully like normal human beings.
Re the comment below, what about the commercials shoving heterosexual relationships down everyone's throat?
Load More Replies...Sweden, home of Volvo, is one of the most gender progressive countries in the world. It makes COMPLETE sense that the company would follow suit. I just wonder if some of the people complaining would still be complaining if the ad had featured a female couple instead of male?
Maybe it's my Swedish heritage, but I agree with you 100%.
Load More Replies...Even if you disagree with LGBT - this is a case in which the representation of same sex couples is completely justified. Parental leave is something legally available to every parent. Saying you don’t want this picture is like saying you don’t women to be represented in voting commercials because you think women shouldn’t be allowed to vote.
It’s time for the lesbian octopus to smack you 🐙
Load More Replies...I have been noticing a lot more shows and commercials randomly putting in a LGBT Character without making a big deal about it. Which is great! Because back in the day they would make a whole few minutes centered around that character being gay, and the other people's reactions. Now when an LGBT character brings their date, they just get the same reaction as a non LGBT character bringing their date.
In Norway, the same parental benefits apply to same-sex couples that do to hetero couples. They even have adapted the language. Two women? You get mor and medmor, literally mom and with-mom, in the sense of "also". Same with far and medfar. We can learn a lot from the scandinavian countries in accepting what ought to be normal. And there is not a single reason to believe that children raised by same-sex couples are any less loved or have any disadvantages. (Says Hans, by the way, a father in a "traditional" wife-husband family.)
Always love people getting triggered about stuff that (in my opinion) shouldn't even get a second look, beyond that "oh, cool" or "oh, nice" reaction.
AKA People on the internet throw a hissy fit every time anyone with a different look or lifestyle gets representation.
Some people just like hissy fits. Drama queens (male too).
Load More Replies...Rather than focusing on the fact that they are lgbt, is it possible we could see them as "just a couple"? What if they were black, would it be ok to say "oh, that's not a normal couple, that's a black couple!" Minorities are less common, yes, but there's no reason to make such a fuss just because they're different. Do I believe personally, that everyone should accept each other? Well... let's start with tolerance. I'll do me, you do you. We don't tell the other how to live simply by existing and being happy.
WTF?? Why on earth do people even care? The biggest compliment you can pay a gay person is not to give a toss. Because sexuality is no more exciting or interesting or weird or unique than the colour of our eyes or favourite movie. It's a dull, boring fact of life that gay people do indeed exist. Always have. Always will. And FYI for some odd reason, we don't object to or feel threatened by those 'bizarre' straight folk, lol! Well, we're still made to feel unsafe, especially in some backward countries. But we don't look down on those that aren't the same as us.
I don't know about this particular ad. But in terms of LGBT in advertising... Yes they are a minority, however there are some out there, and they may want to buy your product. Commercials often try and use people that are similar to the ones they're trying to reach. Some commercials use it for an agenda yes, (even offending the people they are trying to represent) but some do not, except for the agenda to make money, as usual. Since we are a very diverse country, I feel happy to see more variety in races, orientation, lifestyles, and ages in commercials in general, so long as they are represented in a good light. I think just because you see representation, doesn't necessarily indicate the presence of pressure to accept. Maybe tolerate, perhaps. But I don't think just seeing them is enough to go as far to say that they're pushing an agenda. I personally do not see simply "viewing a same sex couple" to be the same as "viewing a same sex couple AND you must BE or accept gays".
As long as people live with the ones they love I'm happy for them. There is to little love in the world as it is.
Ooh, how dare you - green is my favourite colour! The intolerance...
Load More Replies...So all the people challenging Volvo to post this commercial in the UAE think we should be like the UAE?
Anyone else just go to articles like this for the ridiculous comment section, and scroll all the way down to the most-downvoted comments for entertainment
"Why does it assume only males can adopt?" B***h, why are you assuming that it is? They said, hey, let's do a same-sex couple to show inclusiveness and awareness, let's have it be men! They aren't assuming that, you're jumping to wild unbased conclusions with only your opinions as backup.
people would do the same thing if it was girls they would just say "is this ad saying men can't adopt!"
Load More Replies...Okay I get the body positivity one because it was simply not healthy. But not the masculinity one or this. How does this trigger people
Full Name, it was an ad about how they treat their staff, about people, not cars. Therefore, there are people in the ad.
Load More Replies...Can we shut up about the gay people? Stop overreacting bois bc this lesbian octopus is out to murder you
I think that the picture is lovely and kudos to Volvo for valiantly making yet another step out of dark ages.
love is love. It shouldn't make people angry to see these kinds of things on the internet or in advertising. but hey! what do I know! I'm just some young bisexual adult on the internet defending myself.
I don't think I have ever overanalyzed an ad before and it's kind of pathetic that people do to this extreme. Wow.
Besides the inclusiveness of these ads, which is perfect, VOLVO is also smart to realize that LGBT+ people, both single and in a serious relationship, usually are wealthier than their heterosexual counterparts, so it makes total sense to focus on this segment of society. I personally believe that LGBT people are much more numerous than the official statistics leads us to believe - especially the bisexual individuals: I know several married men and a few married women that I am totally sure are bisexual. And, as Yuval Harari points out quite clearly in his book "Sapiens", everything that is possible is therefore natural, so homosexuality and bisexuality are as natural and healthy as heterosexuality. So, Volvo is just acknowledging this fact.
What a sweet world we live in, constantly issues to discuss with varied opinions, people don't be so darn negative, live and let live, this too shall blow over until the next one, nothing wrong with the ad, good decisions only !!!
i see nothing wrong here and have nothing against gay, bi, etc. really
Of course people are pissed off. Places don’t even offer mother’s paid leave yet they are willing to allow people who aren’t giving birth time off. That stupid.
So ..... Gotta give birth to be a parent.... 😂🤣😂😂
Load More Replies...If too much is being "shoved down your throat" maybe it's time to shut your mouth. Really, how is a picture in an ad "shoving it down your throat"? No one is waving it in your face, yelling at you to like it. Just turn the page, or even take a minute to consider why it would even bother you.
Load More Replies...Check my facts real quick..... doesn't God and Jesus love everyone?
Load More Replies...There are literally millions of ads with straight couples. Is it just too much to bear to have a gay couple?
Load More Replies...It's more about them just being inclusive and normalizing something that should never have been a stigma, than trying "shove" a social issue down your throat. I bet your grand parents felt the same way when they saw movies/commercials where women had a job outside of the home, or when they showed Black People and White People interacting peacefully like normal human beings.
Re the comment below, what about the commercials shoving heterosexual relationships down everyone's throat?
Load More Replies...Sweden, home of Volvo, is one of the most gender progressive countries in the world. It makes COMPLETE sense that the company would follow suit. I just wonder if some of the people complaining would still be complaining if the ad had featured a female couple instead of male?
Maybe it's my Swedish heritage, but I agree with you 100%.
Load More Replies...Even if you disagree with LGBT - this is a case in which the representation of same sex couples is completely justified. Parental leave is something legally available to every parent. Saying you don’t want this picture is like saying you don’t women to be represented in voting commercials because you think women shouldn’t be allowed to vote.
It’s time for the lesbian octopus to smack you 🐙
Load More Replies...I have been noticing a lot more shows and commercials randomly putting in a LGBT Character without making a big deal about it. Which is great! Because back in the day they would make a whole few minutes centered around that character being gay, and the other people's reactions. Now when an LGBT character brings their date, they just get the same reaction as a non LGBT character bringing their date.
In Norway, the same parental benefits apply to same-sex couples that do to hetero couples. They even have adapted the language. Two women? You get mor and medmor, literally mom and with-mom, in the sense of "also". Same with far and medfar. We can learn a lot from the scandinavian countries in accepting what ought to be normal. And there is not a single reason to believe that children raised by same-sex couples are any less loved or have any disadvantages. (Says Hans, by the way, a father in a "traditional" wife-husband family.)
Always love people getting triggered about stuff that (in my opinion) shouldn't even get a second look, beyond that "oh, cool" or "oh, nice" reaction.
AKA People on the internet throw a hissy fit every time anyone with a different look or lifestyle gets representation.
Some people just like hissy fits. Drama queens (male too).
Load More Replies...Rather than focusing on the fact that they are lgbt, is it possible we could see them as "just a couple"? What if they were black, would it be ok to say "oh, that's not a normal couple, that's a black couple!" Minorities are less common, yes, but there's no reason to make such a fuss just because they're different. Do I believe personally, that everyone should accept each other? Well... let's start with tolerance. I'll do me, you do you. We don't tell the other how to live simply by existing and being happy.
WTF?? Why on earth do people even care? The biggest compliment you can pay a gay person is not to give a toss. Because sexuality is no more exciting or interesting or weird or unique than the colour of our eyes or favourite movie. It's a dull, boring fact of life that gay people do indeed exist. Always have. Always will. And FYI for some odd reason, we don't object to or feel threatened by those 'bizarre' straight folk, lol! Well, we're still made to feel unsafe, especially in some backward countries. But we don't look down on those that aren't the same as us.
I don't know about this particular ad. But in terms of LGBT in advertising... Yes they are a minority, however there are some out there, and they may want to buy your product. Commercials often try and use people that are similar to the ones they're trying to reach. Some commercials use it for an agenda yes, (even offending the people they are trying to represent) but some do not, except for the agenda to make money, as usual. Since we are a very diverse country, I feel happy to see more variety in races, orientation, lifestyles, and ages in commercials in general, so long as they are represented in a good light. I think just because you see representation, doesn't necessarily indicate the presence of pressure to accept. Maybe tolerate, perhaps. But I don't think just seeing them is enough to go as far to say that they're pushing an agenda. I personally do not see simply "viewing a same sex couple" to be the same as "viewing a same sex couple AND you must BE or accept gays".
As long as people live with the ones they love I'm happy for them. There is to little love in the world as it is.
Ooh, how dare you - green is my favourite colour! The intolerance...
Load More Replies...So all the people challenging Volvo to post this commercial in the UAE think we should be like the UAE?
Anyone else just go to articles like this for the ridiculous comment section, and scroll all the way down to the most-downvoted comments for entertainment
"Why does it assume only males can adopt?" B***h, why are you assuming that it is? They said, hey, let's do a same-sex couple to show inclusiveness and awareness, let's have it be men! They aren't assuming that, you're jumping to wild unbased conclusions with only your opinions as backup.
people would do the same thing if it was girls they would just say "is this ad saying men can't adopt!"
Load More Replies...Okay I get the body positivity one because it was simply not healthy. But not the masculinity one or this. How does this trigger people
Full Name, it was an ad about how they treat their staff, about people, not cars. Therefore, there are people in the ad.
Load More Replies...Can we shut up about the gay people? Stop overreacting bois bc this lesbian octopus is out to murder you
I think that the picture is lovely and kudos to Volvo for valiantly making yet another step out of dark ages.
love is love. It shouldn't make people angry to see these kinds of things on the internet or in advertising. but hey! what do I know! I'm just some young bisexual adult on the internet defending myself.
I don't think I have ever overanalyzed an ad before and it's kind of pathetic that people do to this extreme. Wow.
Besides the inclusiveness of these ads, which is perfect, VOLVO is also smart to realize that LGBT+ people, both single and in a serious relationship, usually are wealthier than their heterosexual counterparts, so it makes total sense to focus on this segment of society. I personally believe that LGBT people are much more numerous than the official statistics leads us to believe - especially the bisexual individuals: I know several married men and a few married women that I am totally sure are bisexual. And, as Yuval Harari points out quite clearly in his book "Sapiens", everything that is possible is therefore natural, so homosexuality and bisexuality are as natural and healthy as heterosexuality. So, Volvo is just acknowledging this fact.
What a sweet world we live in, constantly issues to discuss with varied opinions, people don't be so darn negative, live and let live, this too shall blow over until the next one, nothing wrong with the ad, good decisions only !!!
i see nothing wrong here and have nothing against gay, bi, etc. really
Of course people are pissed off. Places don’t even offer mother’s paid leave yet they are willing to allow people who aren’t giving birth time off. That stupid.
So ..... Gotta give birth to be a parent.... 😂🤣😂😂
Load More Replies...If too much is being "shoved down your throat" maybe it's time to shut your mouth. Really, how is a picture in an ad "shoving it down your throat"? No one is waving it in your face, yelling at you to like it. Just turn the page, or even take a minute to consider why it would even bother you.
Load More Replies...Check my facts real quick..... doesn't God and Jesus love everyone?
Load More Replies...There are literally millions of ads with straight couples. Is it just too much to bear to have a gay couple?
Load More Replies...
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