Comments on: NewsByte: BMW’s Bad Ad Move

By: Jason Falls

Jason Falls — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:35:13 +0000

From a male and advertising agency point of view and here are my thoughts:

1. It will appeal to the base urges of men with the image and copy, so if that's their target, the ad will show some effectiveness. Men are simple. What can I say? However, it's appealing to the young and horny. Not exactly the kind of folks who can afford BMWs. It's off-target in that regard.

2. It will deservedly get backlash from women consumers and I think brands have to weigh how much negative they can stand to be targeted with potentially insulting or controversial ads. In the end, will the ad deliver sales? Maybe. Will it deliver talk? Damn right. Is that bad for BMW? Maybe, maybe not.

3. Personally, I don't want to buy a BMW any more now because they use an attractive woman with a suggestive tag line. I don't think mature men (those in BMW's target) will probably get much more than a eyebrow raise out of it. While I wouldn't go overboard and say it's sexist and crass and insulting to women, I would say that it's not exactly tasteful and doesn't do much for me.

Two cents. That's all.

By: It’s Not Greek To Me - the boost ventilator global network

It’s Not Greek To Me - the boost ventilator global network — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:48:55 +0000

[...] tend to impervious to advertising in my life but some blogs are a-buzz with a controversial Greek BMW Premium Used Car ad that features a very young looking girl in a [...]

By: Frenchie

Frenchie — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:02:10 +0000

I am really shocked because she looks so young but Mercedes did an ad on the same concept something like a year and a half ago with a red hair girl if my memory is right. The ad said something like “would it matter not to be the first one” So actually, BMW is not only making a ad of really really bad taste, it is also copying it from one of its major competitor. that s pretty sad.

By: Yvonne DiVita

Yvonne DiVita — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:31:16 +0000

At risk of giving BMW even more press, although this discussion continues over at Lipsticking, too…

The Marky Mark campaign does not remotely compare to this. He is an adult… not a child. Were he a child, I would be as outraged at that as I am at this tasteless BMW ad.

I don’t care about the whole “sex sells” mindset… done right, done well… it can be tasteful, funny, inviting, and engaging – as long as children are not depicted as the “treat” … as this young girl (doesn’t matter her true age, she is meant to look sultry but sweet, and oh so young!).

BMW needs to stand up and answer the questions: Did they approve this ad? Why? Are they willing to admit it crossed the line, and will they promise to be more focused next time?

Good looking women and men, scantily clad appear in many ads, the world over. And, sometimes those ads work. But, the models are ADULTS… That’s all. Adults.

Sell using sex, by using adults.

(most men I’ve shown this ad to are appalled, and ready to swear off BMW completely; and, at the core of the issue, they agree the ad doesn’t work – they don’t buy something because the brand is using sex to sell it)

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:04:55 +0000

I’m not likely to by a BMW I would rather have a Mercedes if I could afford that class of car. However, I’d buy one if they advertised the ease with which one could remove dog hair left behind from a weekend trip to the cabin or one that has enough cup holder to hold all my 1/2 empty cans of pop that I inadvertently leave in the car only to return with another one.

An underage wannabe porn star hardly gets me to open my purse. But of course I’m not the target audience.

By: Gavin Heaton

Gavin Heaton — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:36:57 +0000

It seems way off target from a brand and a market point of view. And you are right, this is sleazy, not sexy — certainly not very attractive for a luxury car brand.

When I see this, I wonder who approved it? What was the strategic insight that precipitated it? And really, why associate your brand with a low-rent positioning like this? Very disappointing brand storytelling from a car maker that has some great stories to tell (eg recycling, efficiency, workforce).

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:23:16 +0000

Rachel — Well said. I understand that BMW is trying to turn around the “used as un-sexy” idea. As a strategy, it might be sound. But the age of the model is the problem, as others have pointed out. If she appeared another 10 years older — even 5 or 6 (!) — it wouldn’t be nearly the issue. As it is, it’s just wrong.

What’s more, I kind of like Andrea’s take: “The sleazy sexual innuendo is marketing to men at its most lazy.” I know, I know… sex sells. But seriously, BMW.. can’t you try harder?!

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:25:15 +0000

I’ve never bought a car based off of an ad anyway so it makes no difference to me. Consumer Reports is where I go when I look for a car.

By: Rachel Luxemburg

Rachel Luxemburg — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:43:52 +0000

My guess is they’re going on the consumer insight that used cars are not perceived as “sexy” so they’re trying to turn that perception around. I have no problem with that particular strategy.

HOWEVER, I do think the ad is sexist, and given how young the model is, borderline inappropriate as well. There are better ways to get the strategy across than that.

By: Kim drdeclutter via Twitter

Kim drdeclutter via Twitter — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:42:16 +0000

I didn’t take the time to read the above comments, but, can you say incest? mental rape? BMW scraping the bottom the the virgin-on-the-edge-of-the-volcano barrel? Pretty sad. Humans are lame. We have so many centuries to go to get past this “base” stuff. I hope this “child” got paid well and spends it well too!