German car giant BMW has angered motorists with a controversial ‘bull *** t’ online marketing video that critics mock its older core baby boomer customers and detract from one of the firm’s most successful flagship limousines – the classic 7-series.
Sales can also take place if motorists go to social media to say that they have taken the insults ‘personally’ and are not going to buy another BMW.
One said: ‘It’s like they really hate people who own one of their older cars. And by ‘parent’ I mean made before 2017. ‘
The offensive video – created to highlight BMW’s high-tech intelligent ‘iDrive’ system in its new electric iX sports vehicle – angered and deceived consumers who questioned what the car giant wanted to achieve by undermining its proud heritage by ‘ a legendary attack car that helped boost the business’ success.
It also seems to arouse conflict between generations and portray baby boomers – born from 1946 to 1964 – as an angry, cramped, stuck in the mud generation who do not ‘listen’, condemning modern ideas as ‘bull’ *** t ‘, and evokes the answer:’ It’s almost impossible to talk to your generation. ‘
The video was posted on BMW’s website and shared on social media, including Twitter and YouTube, as part of its participation in the global Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2021) currently taking place online.
But it was dismissed as a powerful condescending and ‘awake’ message that some people on social media asked to say they would not buy another BMW.
It even asked one owner to ask if ‘everyone in the Munich marketing department is hopelessly trapped?’
Critics point out that the history of the baby boomer generation – with advances made since the ‘permissible’ 1960s in all areas of social, political, cultural and technological life – shows that this depiction can be no further from the truth.
Some BMW customers who have been around for years have turned to social media to announce that because of such attitudes, they will look elsewhere to buy their next car, with one saying outright, ‘We are out.’
The video clip, designed to promote the latest version of iDrive in the upcoming iX electric sport utility vehicle, was posted on YouTube and BMW’s website and shared on social media.
In a statement, BMW in Munich said: ‘This film was created by BMW AG to highlight the evolution of iDrive over the past twenty years, as the next generation system will be launched in the spring.
“However, this clip is intended for certain global markets and is not available in the UK or US.”
However, it appears that the statement faces the facts.
It ignores the fact that BMW used on Twitter is read all over the world and especially in the UK and US.
It also raises the question of why the characters in question speak English and with American accents.
This is also contrary to the fact that BMW explicitly states on its website and in its reports that the track is directly linked to the US Organized Consumer Electronics Show.
BMW later confirmed that the offending video on BMW’s global Twitter account – @BMW – managed by parent company BMW AG in Munich is available and accessible to users around the world, including the UK and US.
However, it appears that BMW’s British and American weapons want to distance themselves from the move, as the video was not released by the local national Twitter accounts – @BMW_UK and @BMWUSA – specifically intended for customers in these locations.
The series follows an earlier BMW controversy in November when the firm’s marketing gurus posted a tweet in response to an individual’s criticism of the iX’s styling on YouTube, which slammed the alleged older customers’ OK, boomer ‘degradation, causing a major setback.
Commentators have questioned the motive behind the tweet, especially since baby boomers account for about half of BMW sales – especially in the major US market.
At three times, the ‘grumpy’ old BMW repeats the same explicit in the fantasy conversation between the two cars
BMW’s latest video promo uses excessively explicit
In the middle of the new row is an online video pretending to show a fantasy argument between two rival BMWs in one of the company’s car parks – a brand new and recently launched iX sports utility vehicle and a historic petrol-powered range limousine from 2001 – facing bumper to bumper. Both have American accents.
The implication seems to be that the iX represents the present and the future, while the 7 Series – and its customer base – must be firmly assigned to the past.
As if to reinforce this point, the voice of the 7 Series is portrayed as an elderly, grizzly, grumpy and cross-eyed man with old-fashioned, firm and inflexible attitudes who only likes’ real cars’, and repeats modern technology repeatedly as’ bull ‘*** t’, and describes the 21st century electric vehicles as ‘toy cars’.
In stark contrast, the character of the iX is of a young ‘smarter, better’ and apparently enlightened female voice who refers to the older car as a ‘grandfather’ who ‘sniffed at the petrol pump’ for too long and says uncompromisingly: ‘You time is up. ‘
The award-winning BMW 7 Series has been the flagship of the BMW Series for decades, loved by industry captains and successful entrepreneurs, and with armored versions even used by Downing Street and the Metropolitan Police during the Blair years in government. and afterwards.
But anyone expecting a respectful nod to the past is shocked.
At one point, the iX says in a female voice to the older male car: ‘Of course you do not understand. It’s almost impossible to talk to your generation. Anyone can talk to me. ‘
She adds: ‘I am the intelligent personal assistant. Do you know what I mean? Intelligent. ‘
The grumpy older generation car can only react badly with ‘bull *** t’ and ‘marketing bull *** t’.
The best he can offer in response is ‘I can drive very fast.’
The new car then gives more jibes like ‘you just don’t listen’.
The tone and content of the short film infuriated motorists and BMW customers of all ages – who also claim that the classic BMW 7 Series is in any case a much more elegant proposal than the new iX with its cartoon-like giant grille.
Leading car driver Hilton Holloway, who writes for Autocar, the world’s longest-running car magazine, said bluntly about BMW: ‘The whole’ old people are outdated ‘is staggeringly stupid.’
One Twitter user Matt Robinson asked, ‘WHAT is it trying to convey? That BMW’s new, horrible products are complacent asshats? That his old cars are all GAMMON ?! It’s just AWFUL. And yet it makes me crave an E65 760Li. ‘
He added: ‘It’s like they really HATE people who have one of their older cars. And by ‘parent’ I mean made before 2017. I honestly record this video personally. I was a BMW man for YEARS. Not anymore.’
He later asked if the reason for the bizarre marketing video was because ‘everyone in Munich’s marketing department was hopelessly linked to a rift?’.
Richard Aucock, chairman of the respected guild of car writers in the UK, also highlighted BMW’s Bull *** t ‘video and described it as’ crazy ‘, saying:’ I hope some marketing experts can correct and explain me why it’s actually ground ‘break genius. ‘
Another Twitter user, ‘Bahnstormer Tom’, said: ‘What’s BMW going on? You do not make a 760Li and your legacy so and get away with it. I have owned more BMWs than any other brand and feel that they have completely alienated people like me. I will never buy a new BMW. Strange marketing strategy. That said, it got us talking.
Simon Charlesworth, in a brief reference to businessman Gerald Ratner – who saw his business run out after dismissing the jewelery his firm sold to gullible customers as’ shit ‘, said:’ Even Gerald Ratner will find it incredible ‘.
Another, Colin Isaac, said: ‘One might ask if they hired Gerald Ratner as a brand consultant …? ‘
One critic posted the previous slogan of BMW – ‘The ultimate driving machine’ – on Twitter and wrote again to read: ‘The ultimate WOKE machine’.
Andy Sherrat said: ‘I’m starting to think that Mercedes or Audi are currently paying for BMW’s social content. Can’t find an alternative justification! ‘
The best car industry PR Philip Hale said: “If BMW were a person, you would be convinced that they are in a full-fledged middle crisis.”
To which car podcaster Alan Bradley replied, “If BMW were a person, you’d think they’d spent too much time in the White House.”
James R. Williams, private rental car owner, said: ‘My 14-year-old 760 Li drives beautifully, and it could take me to the south of France in a few minutes with a petrol pump. The beginner still has a long way to go before he can present that performance. ‘
Ananda Roy said: ‘After 15 years of owning several BMWs – almost all from new to our needs and usually 2/3 cars in the household, we are gone. It happened organically. Love the driving dynamics, but others have come a long way too, and the interior and exterior design are simply odd. ‘
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