The Brand Man Speaks

Mercedes Benz uses Che Guevara in promotional presentation causing outrage

In a bumbling effort to promote what Mercedes called "revolutionary" new developments in automotive technology the luxury automaker is scrambling to do damage control over the use of marxist revolutionary Che Guevara's image with a Mercedes 3 point star in his beret in a Las Vegas CES presentation this week.

In a rare moment of joining forces, liberal and conservative individuals and groups have cried foul and condemned the automaker for the use and reference. For example:

"Mercedes-Benz Uses Communist Madman Che Guevara to Sell Luxury Cars," said the headline on a blog from the Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative political organization in Washington.

"Che Guevara... was a psychopath whose sadistic lust for blood was not easily quenched. He killed for pleasure," noted Heritage Vice President Mike Gonzalez.

It blows my mind sometimes how smart marketers do very dumb things without thinking about them. Mercedes has apologized for the use but the PR which is very negative can't be that easily ignored this time because key customer targets are expressing outrage throughout both traditional and social media.

Ernesto Suarez, who organized an effort to get Mercedes to apologize for using the image of a man often  called "a racist, homophobic, anti-semitic and tyrannical killer who admitted in his own writing to his endless blood thirst, " expressed relief that his effort to generate the apology was realized.

Some social media pundits have called for a boycott of Mercedes Benz cars. (Mercedes Benz just completed an oustanding sales year running neck and neck with BMW for top honors in the luxury automotive arena.)

A german automaker like Mercedes has to be very careful doing such polarizing activities because of its association with Hitler's operations during World War II and beliefs among segments of the American population (Conservative and Orthodox Jews for example) that Mercedes along with other German companies will never be cleared of their anti-semitic alliances from the War.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli

BMW integrates "Ultimate Driving Machine" tag line into brand essence.

BMW has one of the most memorable automotive tag lines, "Ultimate Driving Machine", (created in 1975) and after reducing its use in last few years is integrating it back into the entire brand essence effort.

Few brands of automobiles are as clearly defined as BMW helping the brand be at the top or near the top of luxury car sales worldwide year after year. This past year it was number one.

The concept of the "Ultimate Driving Machine" has given BMW a distinctive positioning that has been meaningful to consumers in a way other luxury cars have not. Volvo's long gone positioning of safety was another extremely connective brand positioning but none have outlasted BMW's.

In their new effort, BMW will more aggressively use the slogan turned brand essence statement to promote the entire line versus focusing on individual models. Few automakers do this, however, BMW has built the kind of relationship with loyalists such that they (I believe) choose the brand first the model second. For example, if you are looking for an SUV you would not look across competitive brands first, you would see what BMW (your preferred brand) has to offer to meet your needs. This is a unique relationship consumers have with an auto brand and now one BMW is smart enough to capitalize on better than they have in the past. BMW clubs and magazines tout the thousands of families and individuals that ONLY own BMW products on a regular basis. Even though this is consistent with BMW's marketing effort, it is one that is grass roots and handled by car owners directly and not the manufacturer.

BMW is likely also tightening up their connection with loyalists now because Audi has been very aggressive and successful in stepping into the BMW sports performance luxury car arena in the past few years. BMW potential buyers who might not be loyalists have found Audi a good choice (not as many on the road, a bit of a better value and awesome new styling that speaks performance).

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli

 

 

Ford to attempt to bring new life to dying Lincoln automotive brand

In one last desperate attempt to revive the Lincoln auto brand, Ford will re-brand the division as a cross between a BMW and a Lexus. This seems like an insurmountable task.

Lincoln has essentially been dead for a decade with the primary buyers limo and town car fleets for use as private transportation vehicles. The products are old, stodgy, lumbering and remain one of "my father's Oldsmobile's". A car brand that should be put in the graveyard and forgotten.

The luxury sports sedan marketplace is very crowded these days. With Audi resurrecting itself over the past few years very successfully (the product is beautiful and stands out and performs) this niche is even tighter than ever. It would require a completely re-evented product line so extraordinary and exciting to find any place among BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, Audi brands.

Even if Ford could produce some sort of miracle car over the next five years, it might be best to dump the Lincoln nameplate and start fresh given the amount of baggage the old brand still carries.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli