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Recently I saw two television ads for two different luxury vehicles; they both ticked me off.
One is for the Cadillac Escalade. It shows an ancient pharaoh on some kind of gold-encrusted land barge, being pulled by an army of brawny manservants. Then it shows a maharaja in a lavish howdah atop an elephant, off to hunt tigers or something, with servants and lower-caste types trotting along far below him. Then, we see a lavish 18th century carriage going through a cheering crowd, with a little boy running to keep up with it, looking at it with worship on his face. (Where's the French Revolution when you need it?)
Then -- a modern Escalade, cruising majestically among lesser cars.
The people who buy Escalades don't need a commercial encouraging them to feel like royalty among peasants. They're already there.
The other ad is for a new BMW. The ad shows a motorcycle gang out on a highway, coming to a crossroads. There's a BMW coming from the side road. The entire motorcycle gang comes to a halt, and gives the BMW the right of way, with something like deference.
Then the BMW comes to a railroad crossing, with a train approaching. Does the BMW stop? No -- the effin' train puts on the brakes and stops, to let the BMW pass.
Now. There's a stereotype about BMW drivers being utter assholes. Based on my quarter century of driving in Atlanta, I'd say that stereotype is based on fact. They run red lights, they run stop signs, they take up four spots in a parking lot to make sure no one touches their precious Beamer. (I'm sure there are exceptions.)
The last thing BMW drivers need is a commercial reinforcing their feeling of entitlement. What they need is an instructional video showing them how to use the goddamn turn signal.
One is for the Cadillac Escalade. It shows an ancient pharaoh on some kind of gold-encrusted land barge, being pulled by an army of brawny manservants. Then it shows a maharaja in a lavish howdah atop an elephant, off to hunt tigers or something, with servants and lower-caste types trotting along far below him. Then, we see a lavish 18th century carriage going through a cheering crowd, with a little boy running to keep up with it, looking at it with worship on his face. (Where's the French Revolution when you need it?)
Then -- a modern Escalade, cruising majestically among lesser cars.
The people who buy Escalades don't need a commercial encouraging them to feel like royalty among peasants. They're already there.
The other ad is for a new BMW. The ad shows a motorcycle gang out on a highway, coming to a crossroads. There's a BMW coming from the side road. The entire motorcycle gang comes to a halt, and gives the BMW the right of way, with something like deference.
Then the BMW comes to a railroad crossing, with a train approaching. Does the BMW stop? No -- the effin' train puts on the brakes and stops, to let the BMW pass.
Now. There's a stereotype about BMW drivers being utter assholes. Based on my quarter century of driving in Atlanta, I'd say that stereotype is based on fact. They run red lights, they run stop signs, they take up four spots in a parking lot to make sure no one touches their precious Beamer. (I'm sure there are exceptions.)
The last thing BMW drivers need is a commercial reinforcing their feeling of entitlement. What they need is an instructional video showing them how to use the goddamn turn signal.
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