But where do the BMW Marketing people get all this inspiration from?

The automobile industry is a men world. I know it, I work in it. Last job, I was the only girl for 25 guys during a long time. In my new job, I am the only girl for 8 guys (ratio improving, I know, but still the only girl). So of coooourse, you have to deal with sexism and guys being stupid.

As Robbie Williams said: “God gave men both a penis and a brain, but unfortunately not enough blood supply to run both at the same time."

That is the automobile world, it is sexist, there is sometimes even misogyny and if you want to change it, you can try but it is not going to happen overnight. I accept that but there are limits (as my colleagues know). So I accept that working in the automobile industry is a men's world. Now when it comes to buying cars, that’s different and I am not ready to put up with some sexist crap.

Since women now work (yes, times change), since they have their own income and sometimes, dear god, are not even married, they have become a pretty interesting target for car manufacturer. They can represent for some models more than 50% of the buying population, and guess what they are making their own decision. On their own. Also, most of them don’t NEED to make a statement or overcompensate for other things, so they are not going to base this decision on the same criteria than men. Well, nothing new there, that was all obvious.

My point is: it does not mean they don’t want a beautiful and/or a sporty car, it just means they don’t need to relate to sex when picking a car, unlike the other sex. So now, you are gonna tell me: what?! Such a cliché about men! And I am gonna hear “blabla blabla blabla”. And I am gonna prove my point with the example of two Germans car manufacturers who have been très stupid.

Last month, BMW published its new ad for used cars (destined to the Greek Market if I am right). That’s this one.

You know you are not the first
So the sexist aspect of the ad is more than obvious but I will still break it down for you:

• Women are treated like objects, no, even better: “used objects”. So real classy. Note: Referring to sex to sell: wow how refreshing. It seriously is one of the least elaborated strategies you can have.
• It IS insulting to women by promoting once more the concept of ownership of a woman by a man…
• The choice of the model has been widely and unanimously criticized, and I am sure you can see yourself why: she looks like she is fifteen.

These are the main reasons why it has been a scandal over the net. A lot of blogs, especially women in marketing are bitching about it and creating petitions. Of course, if it was not for internet, no blogs would talk about it. No one would even know about it except Greece.

Obviously you could say that the fact that everyone is talking about it could be seen as a success of the marketing strategy. So sure, if you consider successful that there is any kind of talking, then yes, it is freaking successful. If you look at the content of what people say about it, it is ninety percent of criticism (which get pretty angry), five percent of "whatever" and five percent of "great job BMW!". The blogosphere has been bubbling with indignation from women, from men and from the Marketing sphere generally speaking. Whatever the point of view (is the ad sexist or not) it is agreed that it is a lame ad, and that the age of the girl is more than tasteless.

A successful ad is an ad which either improve the brand image or create sales. This one definitely does not improve the brand image. So will the ad deliver sales? Nothing is less sure. BMW typical customers are more likely not gonna decide on buying a car just because of a hot chick on the ad (who could be their daughter). So good job to the Marketing guy who signed this ad off: alienating women customers without guaranteeing any male favourable response… Way to go!

But that's not the best part of it because even if you get over the really sophisticated message: driving a BMW will get you tail with hot (probably underage) chicks, [and very honestly even being a BMW fan and everything, I really don’t get over it] the most pathetic aspect of it is that the stupid sexist marketing concept of comparing used cars to non-virgins women taking a sensual pose before the camera…well it was already used. Yes, BMW were not the first either. And guess what, it was used by Mercedes, one of BMW major competitors. And this is not something people talk about in the blogs, and i do not get why.

Indeed, Mercedes ad also had a woman, in a sultry pose and it says:
Would you mind not being the first. The woman is a young adult, not a teen though. Used more than a year ago, the ad did not have the coverage the BMW ad is getting but still, it exists.

What does that tell us:
- It is not the first example but it shows that the marketing creativity of the German automobile industry is really poor. Last year Christmas wishes cards from BMW and Audi also had exactly the same concept, which I already found pretty sad.
- That BMW and Mercedes do not understand a lot of the evolving car market, the importance of women buying power and that is without a doubt why Audi is kicking their sexist asses on a lot of levels.
- That Robbie Williams is not just hot, he is also smart and realistic. It makes me sad though to think that to get a guy to take a decision so big as buying a car, which represents a lot of money, you still would need to talk to his penis. Is that true? How sad.

Sadder is arguing that BMW is just using a marketing tool, that it is not a big deal. Well, actually, huge surprise, it is NOT a must to use women as sex objects in order to sell cars, it is just really lazy. The marketing people of BMW and Mercedes should just stop drinking coffee, stop getting their quote of “what women like” out of FHM monthly Bimbo interview and try to actually work on something that has not been already done 1000 times. Otherwise with this level of creativity, next ad will show some teens in jeans-short washing a car and wetting her t-shirt with the hose. Now come on! We are all better than that.

Take a look at Renault or Peugeot, I do not think you will find something like that in their ads. Not that the French are not sexist sometimes but I think they got a grab on the women-have-money-and-are-real-customers concept earlier. They also focus the blood use for the brain when at work, which means….they don’t need to demean women in order to sell the cars! Insane strategy, right? Neither do Fiat, Citroen, or Volkswagen (please check out the Unpimp your Car videos, so funny!).

Now I know, I know. Most of the guys are going to find this ad cool, they are going to think it is funny and that the girl is hot and some X- rated stuffs and everything. I am not naïve, nor stupid. They are most likely not going to tick on the fact that it is sexist and that the model is way too young to be referred to as a sex object for over 40-years old Manager who wants to show off with a new toy. Most guys, will not have a lower esteem of BMW & Mercedes by seeing this ad.

I do. First because I am a woman, and being seen as a man's property does not really make me jump all over the place (therefore a freaking long text about why BMW’s move was stupid) but also because I work in the automobile industry. This is one of the most competitive industries, it is facing so many challenges at one time, that mistakes are not allowed and creativity is just a vital need. You need to be better, price competitive and different.

With such an ad, BMW and Mercedes just got themselves cheap. Their inability to be really innovative and to understand the market is exactly why they are having so much trouble currently.Audi is this hot brilliant charming guy and they are like the lame guy at the bar counter, trying to pick up women with easy and lousy lines. Guess what, counter guy is getting home alone, probably mumbling something about women being all b**ches and to feel better about himself,…well he might just buy a BMW.