Automotive
February 8, 2018
Mercedes' issues an apology to China. Image credit: Mercedes
By Brielle Jaekel
German automaker Mercedes has issued a public apology after offending the Chinese government, in another example of how global brands need to tread carefully in regard to cultural sensitivities.
{"ct":"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","iv":"014b872572b7c112544ba17378920909","s":"ec1819dedacb4f75"}
Share your thoughts. Click here