BMW’s idea of funny is not its own customers’ idea of funny. Marketing for the upcoming BMW iX has hit another snag with the release of an ad called “A History of Generations.”
The ad was released to coincide with the 2021 edition of CES and, in case you missed it, you will find it in full at the bottom of the page. It’s a Night at the Museum-type of short film, in which two BMW vehicles come to life when no human is watching, settling their differences through good ol’ smack-talking.
The concept for this ad probably made sense on paper: the celebration of 20 years of iDrive needed visualization of the progress made, and what better way to do that than by showing a 2001 E65 7 Series and the upcoming iX? For whatever reason, BMW decided that showing them side by side wasn’t good enough, so it played right into the “OK Boomer” marketing it’s done in the past.
The result is… not good.
What sounded in theory like a humorous take on the iDrive progress along the years translates into open animosity towards older models and, by extension, the people who bought them, who are still buying them, and who are still enjoying them. Perhaps even worse, it also translates into negating the accomplishments of older models (such as they are) and, to paraphrase commenters online, s***ting on your own legacy. Pardon the bluntness of the language.
The ad opens with the iX being driven inside the BMW Welt in Munich, in order to be placed on the platform. The E65 is already there and, once the two guards on duty leave, the two sentient vehicles start chatting.
It’s not the type of conversation you’d expect to see in an ad for products from the same company, but it’s probably a familiar one: the E65 is a cranky pensioner, while the iX is the insolent millennial. Just ignore the fact that the E65 is 20 years old and, as such, younger than millennials.
There is no banter, so things turn verbally aggressive right away. The iX, who is female, is a “whippersnapper,” while the E65, who is male, is unintelligent, “over,” and impossible to talk to. This is the old OK Boomer cliché being played out in full glory, for 4+ minutes.
“I’m the intelligent fusion of sensing, an emotional connection to the people, an immersive experience,” the iX says, when they get to the inevitable part in which they each brag about their accomplishments. The E65 responds with “Bulls**t, bulls**t and marketing bulls**t!,” in what most commenters see a literal admission by BMW that it’s using marketing BS to sell an SUV few people seem to like, for a variety of reasons.
Hilariously, the E65 lists among its own accomplishments having 12 cylinders and offering sheer driving pleasure, as if that was a bad thing. The iX responds by saying it has ambient LED lights and a large touchscreen, though in fancier words. It’s all very confusing, infuriating and alienating to existing customers – and not even “old” ones. Because remember, this is a 20-year-old car that’s getting canceled.
Reactions to the ad are telling in this sense, both on social media and the official YouTube channel. If you can’t promote a new car without calling an older model crap, maybe just stop, formerly loyal supporters of the carmaker write. Not everything needs to be political, and not everything has to be based on antagonism in order to drive a message home, others are saying. Who writes and approves this type of marketing content, even more ask.
BMW, for its part, remains as deaf to these complaints as the Boomer it tries to mock in the ad itself. As we noted on the previous occasion, it made headlines for the exact same reason, when such a large chunk of your customer base finds something you do offensive, outrageous or just plain stupid, the least you can do is legitimately address their concerns or be more careful in the future. But BMW seems to rip a page from celebrities’ guidebook to fame, thinking even bad publicity is better than no publicity at all.
There is no denying that controversy gets people talking. That said, in this day and age, it can also lead to instant cancellation, because of the echo chamber that is social media. This isn’t to say that one or several bad ads will kill off BMW, but it could impact sales. Especially when it’s the buyers themselves who are targeted.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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