Invoking Che to sell cars?
Never thought I’d be citing CBS, but:
“Some colleagues still think that car-sharing borders on communism,” Mercedes-Benz Chairman of the Board of Management Dieter Zetsche said onstage at CES today, speaking about Mercedes’ new CarTogether initiative. “But if that’s the case, viva la revolucion!”
To be sure, a luxury-car maker like Mercedes is not actually promoting communism. But during his CES talk, Zetsche pushed hard on a vision that the company has for a greener future that allows drivers to reduce emissions by using connected and social technology to easily find compatible passengers to share rides with.
Still, it’s odd–and no doubt intended to stir up conversation–to hear a company so inexorably tied to money and lavish lifestyles invoking philosophies like communism. Especially with a picture of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara towering over Zetsche as he talked. Of course, Che’s signature beret sported a Mercedes logo.
Speechless here. After all, how many ways can one say WRONG?
Unless…
Category: Geezer Alert!
I like it. Its satirical on so many levels. Think about it.
Using Che to sell cars and technology.
I’d like to think its making him spin in his grave.
SGT Kane #1: Sold. Wish I’d said that.
“After all, how many ways can one say WRONG”? Well, there’s the German, falsch.
We were looking at replacing the family car with a Mercedes (GLK350)…this bald headed, porn-stache shit stain can shove his cars up his ass.
OK – what am I missing here? For a private company to encourage car-pooling, or anything along those lines, is simply marketing an idea. If individuals decide to co-own vehicles, why should I care? If a block of folks want to own a community car park, fill it with cars and hire someone to divy up the keys, so what?
Get back to me when the government starts mandating that it be done that or some other way.
In the meanwhile, if this or any other marketing campaign causes individuals to decide to not buy or buy the product, well, that’s the chance a company takes when it decides how to advertise it’s product.
It could be seen as a pretty humorous idea.
Who the fuck cares? Mercedes is merely German for “huge fucking electrical issues and major repair bills when the warranty runs out.”
Sincerely,
A former C-class owner.
hey if you Don’t buy OUR cars then you are a counter-revolutionary, and are going to have your testicles crushed till you do. Too much?
how about “In Soviet Russia, Car Drives you!”
Germany must be doing something right. They produce and sell twice as many cars as the U.S., their cars are held in high regard around the world, and their factory workers are well paid and have job security as a result of strong unions. Comprae that to the shell that used to be the U.S. auto industry. As for Che, wait long enough and just about anything becomes “camp”.
Joe you reminded me of a very important point about the US Merchant Marine which is of pivotal importance to the fairy Tail that we, I mean Americans not Germans, have to have the military muscle to force our way through the Straits of Hormuz or the Suez or the Panams Canal.
I will post it on the page about downsizing the Marine Corp.
That was posted here at This Ain’t Heaven a few days ago.
“and their factory workers are well paid and have job security as a result of strong unions.”
US Assembly plants:
Mercedes – Alabama
BMW – South Carolina
Volkswagon/Audi – Tennessee
What do those states have in common, and why didn’t they build assembly plants in Michigan, with its plethora of skilled automotive workers?
Several German auto execs have expressed ambivalence about the “right to work” laws in those states, suggesting they would be fine with higher wages and benefits for their workers if it resulted in a stable, committed, educated work force. But they don’t feel like they can swim against the local tide (minimum wage).
Yet, in spite of all that – where did they actually build the plants and hire new employees?
Put all the lipstick you want on that pig. Doesn’t do a thing except waste a bunch of lipstick.
And yet our auto industry has tanked and their’s is going great guns. Their pig looks fine, doesn’t need any lipstick.
their cars are held in high regard around the world,
See above. Two of the worst POS vehicles I ever owned were the aforementioned C-class and a Toyota pickup. I’ve worked with European tech as much as American tech. Both have their good and bad points.
However, I owned a Ford Expedition which had over 120K miles on it with no repair issues until I traded it in for my Jeep Liberty, which also has no reliability issues (only normal maint thus far), and I’ll crack 90K miles later today, and I’ve had that car less than four years.
I can, however, show plenty of examples of supposedly “trained and educated” union workers who didn’t know jack shit, didn’t work out of a VERY confined area of responsibility, as opposed to non-union workers who busted their asses to get the job done in the best manner possible. Perhaps you can explain why your vaunted union paradise of Detroit is so wonderful as opposed to right-to-work states.
Now go pull your fucking power meter already.
“And yet our auto industry has tanked and their’s is going great guns. Their pig looks fine, doesn’t need any lipstick.”
And again, what’s common with the American companies and not the European companies?
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/06/19/automobiles/20090619-auto-plants-4.html
BMW – no union
Chrysler – union
Ford – union
GM – union
Mercedes – no union
In fact, only two “foreign” companies with unions are Mazda and Mitsubishi, and they aren’t exactly flying off the shelves. I guess that paying a bunch of guys $40/hr to play cards while they are “layed off” isn’t a busines practice that the foreigners believe in.
Right now the driveway has a 2001 Toyota 4Runner, a 2005 Mercedes SLK, a 2009 Mercedes C350, and a 2011 Ford Expedition EL. The C350 replaced a VW Jetta with 110K miles, the 4Runner has 120K miles, and the only reason why the Ford is there is becuse it was the biggest truck available for me to put my wife and 2 year old in.
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