A controversial new advertisement is making the rounds of Beijing’s crowded subway system lately, attempting to goad weary commuters into buying an automobile.

The ad, which doesn’t show the name or logo of a certain carmaker or dealership, declares to subway goers, “Squeezed in?! Go and buy a car then!” The sentiment has angered both subway passengers and the Chinese government, which is aiming to reduce traffic and pollution in Beijing by encouraging the use of public transportation.

Written in large white letters on a red background, some believe that the main goal of the rather anonymous ad has been met, just by raising the hackles of so many commuters.

“If they only cared about getting eyeballs rather than the impact it would have on people and society, has it not been effective?” said one unnamed source.

The advertisement strikes a particularly sensitive nerve for a city that is spending billions to upgrade its subway system in advance of this summer’s Olympic Games. Beijing is said to suffer from ever worsening traffic congestion, which would seem to preclude the purchase of many new cars for its residents.

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