Think back. Waaay back — to 11:19 a.m.
In that article, we chronicled Fiat Chrysler’s deft handling (and perhaps, planning) of a historical Super Bowl Ram commercial that sparked a fierce social media backlash, all thanks to the spot’s use of dialogue from Martin Luther King, Jr.
We told you, all that time ago, and with all the certainty of someone knowing the sun will rise again, that the next automaker might not find itself so unscatched by a marketing blunder (if indeed you view the Ram ad as a blunder). Well, that time has come. Mercedes-Benz just offended a whole country.
The country in question is every automaker’s retirement plan: China. With its rising middle class growing ever-fonder of private vehicle ownership, China is fertile ground for automakers — especially premium, status-signalling brands.
According to Reuters, Mercedes-Benz decided to start the week with an inspirational (aspirational, really) “Monday Motivation” post on Instagram featuring a photo of a white C-Series coupe sitting on a windswept beach. And what better way to appear deep than pasting a quote from a spiritual leader?
“Look at the situations from all angles, and you will become more open.”
Wise words, indeed. And how about that Benz? Boy howdy…
Unfortunately for the German automaker, the quote originated from the Dalai Lama — spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, lover of robes, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and noted bad joke recipient. He also led a rebellion against China in 1959, seeking independence for his Tibetan homeland. The rebellion’s failure led to his exile by the Chinese government, which still rules the disputed territory.
To make a long story short, to many Chinese, the Dalai Lama is not the inspiration figure celebrated in Western circles. After seeing the post, Bloomberg reports, China’s Communist Party-run Global Times newspaper slammed the automaker.
Quick, to the damage control boat!
“We will promptly take steps to deepen our understanding of Chinese culture and values, our international staff included, to help standardize our actions to ensure this sort of issue doesn’t happen again,” the automaker said in a statement, not long after deleting the offending post.
On its official Chinese Weibo social media account, Mercedes-Benz wrote, “We fully understand this incident has hurt the feelings of Chinese people, including Mercedes-Benz’s employees in China,” adding that the post contained “extremely mistaken information.”
Sure, China can be criticized for a good number of issues, including the ruling party’s shocking history of human rights abuses, but this is business. When wooing the world’s hottest emerging car market, your grovelling game had better be as good as your marketing game.
[Image: Daimler AG]
Why would an automaker feel any particular need to pander specifically to the Chinese?
… Cheap labor.
“Why would an automaker feel any particular need to pander specifically to the Chinese?” – probably the same reason why Buick, Ford, Apple, Google are also pandering the Chinese gov’t. Go ask those wonderfully independent American companies.
I didn’t know American companies are the only ones interested in doing buisness in China. Huh. Better go buy a Toyota or Volkswagen in protest.
No, American companies aren’t the only one who want to do business in China. But Americans seem to love being critical of those foreign companies that do while stay mum on American companies.
because worshipping golden calves is an auto executive’s first order of business
It’s about planting Chinese butts in MB-tex seats, morality be damned. If there were potential sales to be made in North Korea they’d be saying that mass starvation of your citizens isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
North Korea has some of the lowest obesity rates in the world. Superior society. Moral corporations should be doing business there.
North Korea is Best Korea.
You sir, win the interwebs today.
Sarcasm little becomes you. Why are North Koreans skinny? How about infested with gut worms? How about malnourished? How about over-worked? Certainly they don’t get paid.. at least most don’t.
Yes, General. Thank you for giving me your opinion. I will follow precisely.
Number 1 marketplace for all luxury brands – the Chinese.
Daimler kowtows to Chinese imperialism, desperate to not offend Chinese consumers.
Meanwhile, some American corporations run ads showing how “woke” they are, apparently not caring if they offend half the U.S. population.
“Meanwhile, some American corporations run ads showing how “woke” they are, apparently not caring if they offend half the U.S. population.”
I’m still trying to figure out why “half of the U.S. population” would be offended by someone expressing their awareness of racism and classism in today’s society. Then I decided that if that’s the sort of thing that offends people then perhaps those are people that we shouldn’t worry about offending.
“The people who matter don’t mind, and the people who mind don’t matter”
The difference is an autocratic govt very determined to obliterate all hints of dissent. Do you think that the average Chinese citizen is as incensed about the Dalai Lama as the govt is? Is M-B groveling before the Chinese consumer or the Chinese govt? At the same time, companies in America do not fear govt backlash over their ad campaigns, regardless of which half of the population gets angry. And seriously, it’s hard to get the U.S. population to pay attention to much of anything beyond sports and pop culture. Ad campaigns, woke or not, only register offense with a minority of citizens on either end of the spectrum.
Not just cheap labor.
World’s biggest market—lots of wealthy (and aspiring wealthy) Chinese customers.
China’s economic clout is now consistent with it’s cultural wealth.
That’s right. China has been around for over two thousand years. What other nation can make that claim?
No, I’m not Chinese–or even Asian. Just sayin’.
But it couldn’t happen to a nice company.
Terrible shame. They could have quoted Funkadelic and the Chinese would have been eating out of their hand, but they had to choose the one guy the Chinese find worse than Hitler.
Super stupid bought a five cent bag, thought it was coke but it was skag.
Words to live by, Mercedes.
“It is most unwise to poke the sleeping panda, Grasshopper.”
Perhaps if the Chinese want to step up and be one of the, if not the most eminent superpower, they shouldn’t get their panties in a wad over a quote?
If they can’t at least respect the Dalai Lama they just need to get over themselves.
Just like respecting Jefferson Davis, right?
And Robert E. Lee, yeah. They were opponents, but they were damned skillful opponents and I respect the hell out of them.
Just remember, Robert E. Lee didn’t want to fight that war. But he knew if he didn’t, some other General would do a far worse job of fighting it and probably do a lot more harm to the South than good.
The horror.
Hmm, when I saw the tri-star I figured Mercedes–France was going with some sort of “Surrender to our Unstoppable Sales Blitzkrieg!!” campaign. Too old school?
Why do they call it the Arc de Triomphe? In every picture I’ve ever seen there are Nazis marching under it.
It doesn’t specify whose “Triomphe,” now does it?
I guess, after Russians marched there in 1812, they decided to build the arc.
By apologizing to China MB totally insulted me. And entire Nobel prize committee too.
Other craven-hearted companies to go along with MB were mentioned in th same Reuters report including Delta and Marriott:
“Last month, firms including Delta Air Lines and Spanish apparel maker Zara were reprimanded by authorities for listing Taiwan and Tibet as countries on their websites. China claims sovereignty over both areas.
Marriott International had its website in China shut down by regulators after it caused a similar uproar, inviting boycotts from Chinese consumers.”
All companies act like cowards when they stand to lose 29 cents or more with no comeback.
Sounds like right before Volkswagen came out with their Das Auto campaign, they had a commercial on for like two days – I saw it once – where at the end of the spot, a German voice comes on and says, “It’s vot ze people vant!”
Meh, China is N Korea exceptin they buy more crap