Shock of the Year: Plastics Industry Fumes at Audi's Eco Cops Super Bowl Ad

(MoneyWatch)  How's this for obvious reaction of the year: the plastics industry is unhappy with a new ad that takes aim at single-use plastics products while promoting Audi's clean diesel car.

German automaker Audi AG, which aired its Green Police ad during the Super Bowl on Sunday, ruffled the feathers of the plastics industry. The ad -- set to the always classic tunes of Cheap Trick -- depicts the Green Police chasing down and arresting users of plastic bags and PET water bottles and other environmentally unfriendly practices like using inefficient light bulbs and not composting. In the end, the driver of Audi's new clean diesel Audi A3 TDI car is allowed through the eco cops' road block.

Here's the ad for those who didn't see it.

The response from the plastics industry seemed a bit intense, considering this was a funny ad meant to promote the Audi A3 TDI. The plastics division of the American Chemistry Council, reacted to the ad with a press release and a Web site refuting the claims in the Audi ad, PlasticsNews.com reported. The trade group may take further action depending on the amount of "traction the campaign gets and the level of interest it generates in plastics," according to an e-mailed statement reported by Plastics News.

The Web site, called greenpoliceconfused.com, examines the uses of plastics in the ad such as plastic bags. The ACC-backed site notes plastic bags can be recycled and use 70 percent less energy and produce half the greenhouse gas emissions than paper alternatives. The ACC did offer up one decent comeback to the Audi ad with a video of the Audi A3 TDI that highlights its Green Car of the Year award and "innovative uses of plastics throughout the car."

Snap.

Here's the plasticsmakeitpossible video.