Used women are like used cars:What do you think about this commercial?

Question

"...[an] advertisement featuring a beautiful young woman -- presumably naked and lying in bed -- wearing a come-hither look and a crown of blond curls. In small print scrawled across her bare shoulder, it reads: "You know you're not the first." As your eyes drift to the bottom of the advertisement -- and the top of her chest -- you learn that it's an advertisement for BMW's premium selection of used cars. Used cars, used women -- get it?! And, finally, there's BMW's slogan in the bottom right-hand corner, which takes on a whole new meaning: "Sheer Driving Pleasure."

Plenty of delightful messages are implied: Used BMWs are like soiled sexpots -- dirty but fun to drive. Or: A used BMW won't tell you to go faster or slower. It lets you drive. Maybe even: Driving a used car doesn't require protection!"

http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/07/16/ad/index.html .

Answer 1

Sexist as h**l. I'm not buying anything BMW-related until they redeem themselves.

Answer 2

LOL hahaha hahaha LOL,for many years women were paying for commercials that made men like morons,idiots and rapist but now tables are turned I love it,LOL hahahahaha hahah LOL LOL LOL.

Answer 3

bmw = bald middle-aged wanker

enough said

Answer 4

Oh charming, especially using a model that is clearly underage to promote their nasty premise.

Ugh.

They say that the proof of complete decline is the desperate act (can anybody say, 'Burberry hoodie'?) ~ BMW has obviously forsaken all pretensions to being a car for the sophisticated, now they're happy to just appeal to the cashed up.

Cheers :-)

Answer 5

Yes, very true, it's always best to lease( date),rather than buy,(marry), that way you can trade her in for a newer  model before too many miles accumulate.

Answer 6

Nice analogy. I don't see why people are so offended. I guess it is just feminists being feminist. They shorten the vocaulbary of words that hurt their feelings, when those very words descirbe some of them.

It is okay to portray the deadbeat dad and boneheaded fathers, but saying women are loose is offensive? Do feminists have selective memory? Do they not realize that STDs are out of control (1 in 4 teenage girls, which I am waiting for the victim defense. Oh, we are helplessless. Society brings don't girls confidence. In reality it is bad parenting, but the means don't matter, only the ends.) and their was a sexual revolution about 40 years ago?

Answer 7

I work in product development.  Marketing is the root of all evil, not money.

Answer 8

Feminists used to complain that men expected women to be virgins.  Now the complaint is aimed at a message that it's okay not to be.  

I think it's just a commercial.  It's aimed at a specific demographic and using what gets the attention of that particular demographic.  Plain and simple.

Answer 9

I agree.

Rob-

"Well let's say she turned eighteen yesterday. That's still pretty old, for a second hand car."

Answer 10

It is just another way of exploiting women's bodies to sell merchandise.  Obviously BMW isn't interested in selling to women.

It also insults women who are sexually active, They don't even try to hide the insult, they glorify in it.

Answer 11

If anyone is truly interested in equality, they should object to the widespread negitive portrayal of men in the media.

I wonder if this is a new trend in advertising, a backlash effect?

If so, good!

SAM, will you email me, you can disable it again afterwards?

Answer 12

I don't see the issue? Maybe someone needs to fill me in... like Bill Maher says "It's not bad to talk about women".... saying women are a pleasure is now a bad thing? WTF--we can't even complement women now.

Did you add in "dirty" to create something that isn't there or did they actually say it? A new BMW won't tell you faster or slower either. Driving a used car requires as much protection as a new one.

Answer 13

Arguably, men who buy BMW's are doing so as a status symbol to attract what?  Right.  Women.  While a bit depressing, an ad selling a luxury car using s*x isn't that surprising.  Hey, it works for beer, right?

Answer 14

I've noticed that many of the men don't seem to get what's wrong with this. Some even think it's a compliment.  right, like the time the guy who told me I was like a Fararri didn't get it, either, I guess.

OR, they're elated because they think it's turning the tables. As if only *slightly less* offensive commercials demeaning and objectifying women weren't shown on a regular basis. And of course, they don't realize that it was until VERY recently that women were ALSO portrayed as idiots, on top of being portrayed as objects. Do your research, boys.

But is the problem also that men have a harder time understanding why women find this kind of thing offensive, and women have a harder time understanding why men find other kinds of adverts offensive? Maybe we should all try to be a little more empathetic.

Answer 15

What about "A speeding ticket is better than an STD" they could have used that one to.

it's just an ad, I don't really take much notice of them.

Answer 16

The link page appears to be blank so that really does answer the question as to people comparing used women to used cars: blank empty space.

Answer 17

Bad. Just bad. It shows people who buy BMWs aren't as classy as they think they are.

Answer 18

ive noticed a pattern..

the men are elated with this..

and the women are appalled.

it is understandable why the women are appalled...

but i wonder if the men are actually appalled too ( some..not all) and are saying the dont care to get a rile out of the women..

either way..i dont really care...the only thing that really bothers me is that the girl looks much to young to be in the ad...

but then again it is not the first time an ad agency has used a teen as a s*x symbol to sell something.

Brooke Shields as a teen for CK jeans..Nothing came between her and her Calvins.

Miley Cyrus recently looking like a little sexpot in whatever mag it was..

and probably others that i dont even know about.

but as far as the insult goes...i personally wouldnt have paid much attention to it...

and i dont drive anyhow...

even if i did...the insult would rolled off me like oil on water...

Answer 19

I find that ad in bad taste. It makes me not want to buy a BMW.

Answer 20

Ewwww.....I can see where they were trying to go with this but it's really quite ugly....and that girl looks REALLY young....ewww.

Answer 21

Women and men are like used cars. The longer you drive, the more mileage it accumulates.

However in the light of the BMW add, it is a strategic marketing centering around the key concept that customer satisfaction is the main goal whether the BMW is used or new.

Answer 22

That's the most offensive ad I've seen since the D&G gang-bang.

Answer 23

The car itself has always had s*x-symbol and elite status and they are using these types of offensive ads in order to try and remind people of it. This is why I don't buy luxury cars.  They often represent something more than a means of transportation.

Answer 24

I think their car sales are so slow they are trying to lure men into purchasing them.   I am annoyed at BMW at this point but "s*x sells".

PS Gosh I wish you would come to chat!

Answer 25

wow. i don't even have words for how sexist that is. it's not funny, not witty and whoever thought of it , is an idiot.

Answer 26

Q: What's the difference between a porcupine and a BMW?

A: The porcupine has the prlcks on the OUTSIDE.