This commercial involves the story of half a million people. We know that because the opening line is:
“Who are we to argue with half a million people?”
Except…That’s not what the story is about. The story is about…uh, pre-owned BMWs. Not an interesting story. Not a good story. But despite the expectations raised by the opening line, that’s what this spot is about: pre-owned BMWs.
The second line indicates what the commercial really is about — and, I suspect, inadvertently offers a statement that could get BMW in trouble with the Federal Trade Commission:
“That’s half a million satisfied customers who have made BMW the leader in the luxury segment.”
This is just a hunch, but I suspect “half a million” is the number of people who have purchased pre-owned BMWs. That doesn’t necessarily equate to half a million satisfied customers.
Why do I get the feeling BMW made an unsupportable leap from “customers” to “satisfied customers”? Because in this spot they make the claim without supporting it. If 500,000 people who purchased pre-owned BMWs reported they were delighted with their vehicles and would recommend pre-owned BMWs to their friends, it would be been smart to say so in this spot.
Just a hunch, based on experience. Perhaps they were referring to such a statistic but don’t understand why they should cite it (i.e., to establish credibility).
But it doesn’t matter, because that’s not the horrific part of this commercial. The really awful part is…
…Actually, there is no really awful part. It’s all so extraordinarily innocuous that it has no impact at all — not even a negative one.
“…the leader in the luxury segment.”
Okay, that’s a joke, right? They don’t really believe there’s even one consumer who ever has uttered (or even thought) the words, “the luxury segment,” do they?
MRS. STUPID: Gee, Honey, what kind of car should we buy?
MR. STUPID: Doesn’t matter to me, Sweet Pea, as long as it’s one of the models in the luxury segment.
What is this commercial’s Core Message — the one thing they want the targeted audience to hear, to understand and to remember? Is it:
* Largest selection to choose from online? (Bonus points for the passive language, guys.)
* Comprehensive protection plan?
* All vehicles meticulously serviced by BMW technicians? (Does BMW have a less expensive program offering vehicles that have been serviced by BMW technicians but not meticulously? “All vehicles haphazardly serviced,” perhaps?)
* The vehicles go through — this is breathtaking — an inspection process? A rigorous (vs. a lax) inspection process?
Just when you think, “Well, at least they’ve run out of dumb things to say,” BMW surpasses expectations:
“Not to mention it offers something no other manufacturer can…”
This is Copywriting 101, folks. Saying “not to mention” before mentioning something is stupid. Not to mention it’s bad advertising.
The Call To Action? Visit a laughably clumsy URL.
The reason to heed that Call To Action?
“For details.”
Talk about your irresistible offers.
Here’s the entire message this commercial contains: “BMW sells used cars. Please buy one.”
Contained but barely communicated.
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Reminds me that “50 million Elvis fans can’t be wrong”. Whatever the heck that was supposed to mean. And that was lovingly parodied by Stan Freberg with his commercial for a cereal called “Puffed Grass” – “50 million cows can’t be wrong.”
The Benz commercials are not much better. The ones where its a fake radio host talking with callers. It sounds very young and completly out of sync with its target demo.
I get the feeling the copy is merely there to fill time. The message is in the attitude and production. It’s a reason why Will Lyman is highly paid to voice these.
The details pointed out in your story make sense to me if it were a direct response spot I suppose.
B