Super Bowl Commercial
BMW, the automobile side of the house, (Sorry motorcycle fans, no sign of the S1000RR, R 1200 GS, F 800 ST or the new K 1600 GT) returned to the Super Bowl ad game tonight after a 10-year hiatus, unveiling a strategy that communicates two competitive advantages of BMW.
The first commercial is a poignant piece focusing on BMW’s economic commitment in America as told through the voices of the company’s associates at its manufacturing facility in South Carolina. (Click video to watch the first Super Bowl commercial)
The second commercial uses humor to showcase BMW Advanced Diesel vehicles as a cleaner, efficient alternative to other types of vehicles.
"We have two clear messages we would like millions of Americans watching the Super Bowl to know about BMW," said Dan Creed, Vice President, Marketing, BMW of North America.
"Even in the depths of the recession, BMW continued to invest in America, and as the global benchmark for clean diesel technology, we’re challenging stereotypes to show our advanced diesels are part of the future."
Both these messages will be carried through BMW’s marketing efforts throughout the year. The Super Bowl advertisements also mark the debut of actor Chris Pine from Star Trek in 2009 and Unstoppable in 2010 as the voice of BMW.
The commercial underscoring BMW’s commitment in America, dubbed Defying Logic, showcases the company as a significant contributor to the economy and a vital part of the American automobile manufacturing industry.
It was filmed in BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina manufacturing facility where all BMW X3, X5 and X6 vehicles are produced and exported to 130 markets worldwide. The advertisement features the new BMW X3 vehicle, which was also designed in America and offers consumers 10 million unique configuration options.
Instead of actors, real-life BMW associates and citizens of the local community, including the Spartanburg High School football team, are featured in the commercial.
In the ads, real plant associates note that during the height of the recession, BMW intensified its commitment to U.S. manufacturing with a $750 million plant expansion, as part of an overall $1 billion investment in its U.S. operations. BMW Group’s direct and indirect employment in America is more than 50,000 jobs.
Changes, the second commercial, takes a playful jab at America’s mis-perceptions of diesel and highlights BMW’s Advanced Diesel vehicles as a cleaner, high-performance, efficient alternative.
The ad, set to David Bowie’s iconic melody "Changes," depicts a truck driver bellowing black smoke, an older-model diesel vehicle sputtering up a hill, and pedestrians surrounded by clouds of filthy exhaust.
In the spot, the 3 Series Advanced Diesel makes a grand entrance highlighting its smooth, clean, efficient performance and powers away leaving them all in its dust.
The Super Bowl is one of the world’s most televised sporting events, reaching more than 100 million viewers in one night. BMW last advertised in the national broadcast of the Super Bowl in 2000.
