BMW's car-less swipe at the competition
Posted: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 4:59 AM by Allison Linn
Categories: Cars and trucks

It’s no secret that many automakers have been struggling of late. Perhaps the biggest sign of these woes was the recent split of DaimlerChrysler, the much-vaunted, but ultimately failed, marriage between the makers of Mercedes and Chrysler cars.

It’s not the only problem marriage in an industry that has been rife with acquisitions -- and divorces -- in recent years. BMW has largely stayed out of that fray, which is a fact they aren’t shy of using as a selling point.


BMW

“To be better than the competition, you can’t have them as your parent company,” a recent BMW print ad boasts.

The simple text ad is striking not just for its message, but also because there’s no car in it. Patrick McKenna, manager of marketing communications for BMW of North America, said it’s part of a broader strategy to use the story of BMW, as well as the product itself, to sell cars.

“We think that companies that are owned by parent companies have to compromise in some way or form,” he said.

It’s worth noting that BMW Group is a parent in its own right -- it owns the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands. But the company clearly sees that as different from the complicated partnerships many of its competitors have entered into. Another ad in the same series matches BMW’s upscale competitors, such as Audi and Lexus, with their parent companies.

McKenna insists the ads aren’t intended as pot shots.

“It has more to do with BMW being proud than throwing stones at the competition,” he said.

Nevertheless, it’s hard not to think of DaimlerChrysler’s unraveling when you see the ads. Does that make a person want to buy a BMW? Well, that’s a trickier question.