Quote Of The Day: Killer Instincts

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

“Why would you even ask that question? Do you think the Chinese want to kill people on the road?”

Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby after a reporter had asked him in Geneva whether Chinese ownership could hurt Volvo’s safety image.

From Automotive News [sub]

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Robert Schwartz Robert Schwartz on Mar 02, 2011

    Lead paint.

  • Psarhjinian Psarhjinian on Mar 02, 2011

    No, he's right. It's one thing for Mattel or whomever to paint their toys with lead-arsenic-and-depleted-uranium paint. It'd be irresponsible, sure, but "safety" is not a reason people buy Hot Wheels or Barbie. Hell, there are a few marques who could probably get away with it, including pretty much all of China's "native" brands. Safety is perhaps the reason why people buy Volvos, and compromising that would be brand suicide. Mr. Jacoby is dead-bang-on, and I suspect Geely is not stupid or suicidal unless they have no interest in selling Volvos outside of China. It's the same reason why Nike can use child slave labour, but, oh, Melissa & Doug would be eviscerated for the same. Live the sword, die by the sword (where the "sword" is ethics, environment appeal, etc, etc).

  • John Horner John Horner on Mar 02, 2011

    "Why would you even ask that question?"

    Well, for starters, China is perhaps the only industrialized country in the world which still permits the use of lead based paints. In general, products painted thus are not exported to North America or Europe, but sometimes mistakes happen. Back in 2007 the Chinese government made a big deal out of decreeing that it would ban the export of lead painted toys to the US. I guess it is ok to give Chinese children lead poisoning ???? http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2007/09/11/china-safety.html

    Auto related: China didn't ban leaded gasoline for domestic consumption until June of 2000. Then again, the EU also didn't get the lead out of gasoline until that same year.

    • Zackman Zackman on Mar 02, 2011

      Give 'em 70 years, then they'll be where we are. Perfection takes time, John!

  • Panzerfaust Panzerfaust on Mar 02, 2011

    Maybe it was the mobile execution units he was thinking of.

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