In the cascade of holiday-themed, end-of-year ads, BMW’s ad stood out by a mile. Alas, for reasons that could set the brand back a few decades.
In the first retro flashback-style scene, a young boy in a toy store stares transfixed at a top-of–the-line toy train, while his mother tries to convince him another train is almost as good as the one he craves. “No, it isn’t” he says.
Next the boy, now a teenager, is trying out a top-of-the line guitar in a store, while his father tries to convince him that another guitar is just as good. “No, it isn’t” he maintains.
In the payoff scene, the boy is now a successful young man Who Finally Gets What He Wants. And, of course, what he wants is a BMW. “Good choice,” his companion remarks.
BMW’s intended message: Dudes who want the best want BMW.
BMW’s unintended message: BMWs are for ungrateful little brats.
Trouble is, the second message fits all too well with the BMW brand of yore. Remember the old joke about the difference between a BMW and a porcupine? It hasn’t been that long since BMW owned the Rich A-hole niche, but the brand worked hard to expand its appeal over the years—and succeeded. Lots of really nice folk own BMWs now and rightly haven’t been ashamed to drive them.
What were they thinking in doing this ad? What happened to James Bond? And wasn’t BMW all about Creating Joy just a few short months ago?
With this holiday ad, BMW is taking a giant swagger-step backward. Does BMW really want to sweep the Greedy Little Bastard demographic? Does it really see its primary competition as…Hummer?
What’s sad is that this backsliding is so unnecessary. A simple casting tweak would have made a quantum difference. Substitute peers for mom-and-dad, say kid sis in the toy store and teen friends in the guitar store, and you have clear and pretty compelling message: Discerning dudes want BMWs when they grow up.
I hope the holiday ad was limited to a regional gaffe, not a new strategic direction. Brands can be remarkably fragile, especially brands that have some baggage tucked in their past. Seeing that baggage clearly and renouncing it decisively is the action of a grownup—and a grownup brand.
