Kia Motors, sensitive to its world presence, has cut their sponsorship deal with soccer team FC Brussels after the team's president told a Congolese player he should think of something other than "trees and bananas" while playing. In addition to concerns about their image, the communications manager for Kia Motors Belgium pointed out that 10% of their employees were of non-European origin. The sponsorship deal included 20 vehicles and 160,000 euros, which we think is something like $18 million dollars given the current exchange rate. Boy, are they going to feel foolish when they could have had a Kia Soul, or maybe even a Mesa. [Reuters via Guardian]

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