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Society
Photo: Youtube

Divorce lawyer launches chainsaw massacre ad

Published: 9 Jul 12 15:53 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20120709-43649.html

A German divorce lawyer is scaring - and outraging – cinema-goers in Dresden with an advert that features a beautiful woman who has apparently just attacked her husband with a chainsaw.

The 37-second commercial begins with a serene blue sky, suddenly pierced by the whine of a chainsaw. The camera then pans down to reveal an expensive-looking house, out of which emerges a sexy young woman in an evening dress and high-heels.

Blood drips on the ground near her high-heeled shoes. As she wipes her brow, she leaves a large smear of blood on her face, before dumping the blood-smeared chainsaw on the lawn.

The slogan then appears: "This wouldn't have happened with a divorce lawyer."



The advert offers the services of Dresden-based lawyers Hannig, Ahrendt & Partners. "We wanted to show that we're a bit different, a bit unconventional, and not quite so buttoned up," Frank Hannig told the Bild newspaper. "The ad was my idea."

But the 42-year-old admitted that some might consider the ad inappropriate. "We wanted to see if people like it," he said. "We might have a problem with the bar association. I wouldn't have dared do it ten years ago, but everyone can see that it's satire."

Hannig has already come up with the script for the next advert: "The woman walks round the corner and gets arrested by the police, and then the slogan comes: 'We also do criminal law!' "

The Local/bk

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

16:39 July 9, 2012 by William Thirteen
This just plays on male fears of castration and so has become controversial. It probably wouldn't be garnered much notice if it was the husband emerging from the house, chainsaw in hand. Media depictions of violence against women are much more acceptable.
23:07 July 9, 2012 by tosca1
This is quite clever and quite hilarious.
06:46 July 10, 2012 by Landmine
"We wanted to see if people like it,".... Is that guy a moron? Who ever would think "oh, what a cool commercial".

On another note, funny how the girls toes don't fit her shoes....
07:41 July 10, 2012 by puisoh
Hey Landmine, you are obviously male, there is no comfortable-fitting high heels, Cinderella is a fairytale, remember??
07:49 July 10, 2012 by insight101
absolutely disgusting. it's satire of something that shouldn't be satire.

@Landmine I don't normally like to resort to name calling, but yes the guy is a moron. but hey, at least he's a german with a sense of humor even if it is a perverted one...
09:18 July 10, 2012 by freechoice
done bad taste. isn't there a media authority responsible for fining the ad company for producing such a poor quality ad?? imagine how this would appear in front of children waiting to watch some wholesome family movie??
10:46 July 10, 2012 by TheWonderer
Where is the problem?

It may not be everybody's taste - but which advert is?

Had this been done in England, I bet you would celebrate it as British (dark) humour at it's best...

And I do not think it will be shown to kids anyway - done as a cinema advert, it will probably presented PG 16 and above - so what?

TheWonderer
15:05 July 10, 2012 by Herr Rentz
I think it just surprises many that have never thought German people had a sense of humor. Dark humor maybe, but it makes the clients point.

This would probably never make it to air in the States. I am sort of surprised that it was allowed to air in Germany.

I have no opinion on it one way or another. I'm not easily offended.
17:04 July 10, 2012 by zeddriver
Boy! That must have been one tough schnitzel to have had to resort to a chain saw to cut it. Ruining a schnitzel is surely a reason to call this law office and seek a divorce lawyer.
19:05 July 10, 2012 by Landmine
@puisoh

I suppose u are right...
19:35 July 10, 2012 by MydogMax
Certainly a way to stand out from you competitors, I think Germans have a great funny sense of humor can be very dry at time, but none the less funny.

As a advert goes its done its job, got people talking about it.. well done :-)
21:03 July 10, 2012 by puisoh
C'mon, give this guy some credit for being daring to try, for thinking out of the box, for defying the norms, such qualities are important for today's decaying society. I think it deserves as much publicity as the 'Parking for males' story.

Well done Frank, if I ever need a divorce lawyer, you'll be the one!
08:01 July 11, 2012 by TheWonderer
As said in the article, it is a CINEMA-advert.

It is NOT on air, it will NOT be shown to kids - where, if not in a cinema, do you have she chance to separate the audience by age-groups?

So they have well done.

TheWonderer
14:28 July 11, 2012 by Lisa Rusbridge
It's a silly ad. When you use a chain saw the rotating chain the runs the blade back and forth at such a high rate of speed and makes whatever you are cutting spin out and spray in all directions. Chainsaws are messy. There's no way she would have committed murder or dismembered an already dead body without being sprayed in human flesh, bone and blood. That's why you absolutely need to where protective eye wear when using a chainsaw.

I like her shoes though.
20:30 July 11, 2012 by Avidror
Even putting my life in danger, I'd like to marry her!
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