Mercedes Benz makes good, higher-end German cars… but their latest marketing effort is either lost in translation or was hacked together on a budget and without a lot of review. I’ve taken screenshots of the short ad (which I saw on Yahoo).
So we start off with an airplane. Nice G5 or something like that.
Then something weird starts to happen. At first, you’re not sure what…
Oh. Is the plane is disintegrating?
Yes, it is. That’s weird, isn’t it?
What kind of ad would have a plane coming apart while it’s flying?
And here it is. Completely gone. Disturbing. What happened to the pilot, co-pilot, and passengers?
Ta-da, it’s a car with gull-wing doors.
Huh?
So what’s the message? Beware of planes because they could disintegrate while flying. Instead, drive around in our car, which looks like a cross between a Jaguar and a DeLorean?
Hey, Mercedes Benz… this is not an effective ad. In fact, it’s weird and unconvincing and even a little alarming.
Hi! My name is 
May 25, 2010 at 3:45 PM
Seriously, considering all the major incidents with disintegrating planes (911, anyone? Shoe bombs? Wind shear?) perhaps a better tactic is in order.
.-= Karen Goldfarb´s last blog ..Features versus benefits: Can we end this now? =-.
May 25, 2010 at 3:58 PM
I agree. There are so many better ways to market this car.