BMW CPO - You know you're not the first

Bmw 325i 7803

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#5
Haha just unbelievable...

That girl looks about 15 years of age at best, since when does BMW use underage High School girls to attract business? This ad would be illegal in the states.
 

Bmw 325i 7803

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#8
Politically incorrect in the US, certainly, but why illegal? There is no nudity, etc.
Ok, I agree, I browsed over it and typed that very fast.

However, there are elements of it with a sexual implication, and showing a child when making such an implication can be seen as encouraging illicit sexual activity. In fact, it even suggests "you are not the first to have engaged in such" Overall, it is a very distasteful ad by BMW, and if they get heat over it, they deserve it. In fact a firing of the marketing team would even be appropriate here. The more I look at it, the more I see a child-like doll face, than I see a woman. It might be my bad eyes, but I can't be the only one who has arrived at this conclusion.

On the contrary, BMW can argue the ambiguity around the statement "you know you're not the first". The question is what exactly did they mean? I think we have a pretty good idea, the cop out would be, well you're not the first to have thought she was beautiful or what not..."
 
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#9
In fact a firing of the marketing team would even be appropriate here. The more I look at it, the more I see a child-like doll face, than I see a woman. It might be my bad eyes, but I can't be the only one who has arrived at this conclusion.
Sounds like the marketing team did really well here, they have your attention as well as ours.

And about the "child-like doll face".... I mean no offense, but this happens the older you get. I'm doing undergraduate research at a university and am astonished by how young the 18 year old freshmen walking around. I often think to myself "when did they let 14 year olds drive." Hell I'm only 22 I and think like that.
 
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#10
I suspect that the model is indeed of legal age 18, but was chosen for her youthful looks, not unlike Hollywood using 18+ actors/actresses to portray younger people.
 

Big Daddy

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#11
I agree with a lot of what you say Steve, but this is no different really than the Abercrombie & Fitch posters in all their stores. They have used young or at least very young looking models scantily cald (even some with no clothing) to promote their products. In fact I am sure I saw something where they were denounced for it recently.
 

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I agree with a lot of what you say Steve, but this is no different really than the Abercrombie & Fitch posters in all their stores. They have used young or at least very young looking models scantily cald (even some with no clothing) to promote their products. In fact I am sure I saw something where they were denounced for it recently.
While I do agree with you on the comparison, I still feel that ANF is somewhat justified since they are a teen retailer that aims their product at 18-22 year old college students. If the company is going to use borderline legal models for sexually suggestive poses it might as well be in a "for us by us" format in which it is advertised to the same age group. BMW on the other hand is aimed at established professionals, or at professionals of the middle class (as this was a CPO ad) usually in their 30s and 40s and older even. Thereby that makes their use of a child-like model deplorable.

I am a pro romeo and juliet legislation legal instrumentalist, as in I would support a close in age exemption in a statutory rape case for example, however when it comes to significant age differences such as 7 or 10+ I say throw the book at them with a big ND written in black ink. I also apply this logic when judging BMW's "you're not the first" ad. The ad is not targeted at the 18-22 age group therefore it's inappropriate.

I would like to add, I hardly condone the Ohio based retailers scantily clad advertising method that promotes sexual activity or uses ambiguous sexuality to sell their clothing. However, I can tell you from experience the company produces excellent earnings year after year and I'd recommend them in your portfolio over real estate investment firms and mortgage thrifts any day, they're about as sweet as owning Exxon.
 

William330

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#14
She looks about 20 to me.

This is ultra-tame stuff by European standards.

If you watch a few hours of TV in Europe, you'll be shocked how different it is compared to the US.
 


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