Benz’s “Sorry” Advert Is Very Well Done
by Gunnar Heinrich ::: YouTube ::: Mercedes Driver Cheats Death in “Sorry” Advertisement
FIRST watched this spot over @ planetopolnikkkk. Titled “Sorry” this advert represents a clever coup for MB safety. In essence, Mercedes helps drivers cheat death. Impressive.
Mercedes-Benz marketing is finally infusing some creative style back into their campaigns not seen since the late 90s/early 00s. A change for the better, even if the catalyst is such a dark topic.
July 12, 2010
About the Author: Gunnar Heinrich is publisher of Automobiles De Luxe online and is executive producer of the Automobiles De Luxe Television series on PBS member station CPTV.
Josh | Jul 14, 2010 | Reply
Over here in America, there’s no doubt that we’d find this commercial funny because of the Grim Reaper’s foiled attempt in taking the life of the Mercedes driver after the latter was able to stop his E-Class seconds before it would have crashed into an on-going road construction. Funny stuff, right?
Apparently, the folks in Germany – and those familiar with the situation within the auto industry – find this commercial funny for a different reason. Turns out that Mercedes may have put the man playing the role of the Grim Reaper in the commercial because of his uncanny resemblance to one Ferdinand Piech. If you don’t know who he is, he’s the chairman of the supervisory board over at Volkswagen AG. So there really is more to this commercial than meet’s the reaper’s scythe.
If you don’t know the back-story behind Piech and Mercedes, it all stemmed from a comment the former made about how Volkswagen is gearing up in an effort to go toe-to-toe with Mercedes some time in the future. This, if we can assume, could be Mercedes throwing the first volley at Volkswagen, showing that they’re not afraid of the big German auto conglomerate, even if they show up on the passenger seat of their E-Class with a scythe in hand.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/video-mercedes-e-class-commercial-takes-pot-shot-at-volkswagen-chairman-ar91067.html
Gunnar | Jul 14, 2010 | Reply
Josh, that would be cool. At first thought, I considered such an allusion a stretch. But – you look at the two and there are striking similarities. Very nice indeed. Keen of those chaps at Top Speed.
Brad Maxey | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
Is Mercedes getting it’s act together? Gunnar, what do you think about Mercedes now having so many models, so many offerings in it’s line up? Are they trying to go up againist giants like Volkswagen or Toyota or merely hoping to have a market presence at the top of all the prime catagories? I understand that this was the strategy when they began putting out all of these versions of the Mercedes formula. I honestly don’t know how to take the changes that Mercedes has gone through. R Class for God’s sake-horrible looking. Some of it seems like a rough period of growing pains from the 90s through the 2000s. Even still, I look at the models made in those years and think some of the older ones like the W210 or W202, (less so the W211 or W203) look more like Mercedes, more timeless and more solid. The new W212 may grow on me but for now in a sea of other sedans with slanting head and tail lights, angry faces and swooping busy lines, it just looks more average, more like just any other car than it ever did. Poor BMW. They’ve been knocked off so many times so many ways that they almost can not look like a stand out and anymore. Post Bangle they look like they’ve wound the clock back trying to recapture old visual clues but the visual clues are now a common language shared by Infiniti, Lexus and even Honda. Wonder what it’s going to take to distinguish Mercedes Benz again. I imagine it will happen over time when these cars start looking timeless as everybody else moves on to the next trend. I hate to say it but even though Mercedes made the Fintail back in the early 60s, a nod in the direction of design influences from the US, complete with wrap around windshield effect, they’ve never gone this far into fashion. And I know how you regard the W210 mechanically speaking which has not been my experience but nonetheless, it’s a far better looking car than much of anything I see now. I hope the new S looks less Lexus next time around.
Gunnar | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
Brad,
Your points are valid. Mercedes is a company busy chasing after its share of the mass-market. BMW, too, for that matter.
Both companies seem to be designing cars that go through round after round of approval committees – each time adding on with styling cliches.
With luxury, less can be much, much more.
Brad | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
It would be interesting to read about the behind the scenes situations in the design studios for Mercedes these days. I’ve wondered if the process is completely different from what it was in Bruno Sacco’s time. Probably. Seems like everything is done by corporate committees–a tight market creating this as a necessity. Probably that’s why almost everybody’s product looks the same. Play it safe. I don’t care overly much. I’d still rather have a Mercedes in the driveway, no matter how they change them.
Gunnar | Jul 16, 2010 | Reply
…a chicken in every pot, an iPhone in every pocket, and a Benz in every driveway.