Are you as appalled as I am?

[roadie gal]

... by those Lexus, Mercedes and BMW commercials that want you to give a car as a Christmas gift?

I thought they were in bad taste a few years ago when the economy was good, but this year I'm just appalled. The world's economy is crashing. People are being tossed out of their homes. They're losing jobs. And we should give a car as a gift.

feh

[AllezGirl]

Yes!

[7rider]

I think they're funny. But then, I've always been amused by the absurd.

[Eden]

For a few years I worked for a company that sold a building product that pretty much only the very wealthy could afford. I found the whole thing to be pretty appalling - very excessive and often tasteless. I'm back at a non-profit and much happier these days. I honestly didn't like doing a job that had zero meaning and benefited pretty much no one.

[rocknrollgirl]

I felt really good for a second, when I thought it was about a Big Wheel....

[kjay]

No, I'm not appalled at all. There will always be people richer than I and people poorer than I. There is something for everyone, even nothing if that applies.

[Mr. Bloom]

I agree with kjay.

I mean this constructively, but this is prejudice. You have no idea what the owners of those cars do or give in support of those in need. (Yes, I own a Lexus and a Mercedes, so you've made it personal to me and you don't know me).

[shootingstar]

I interpreted roadiegal's observation and the ad, as just an ill-timed PR/marketing campaign by the car company itself, Lexus, etc. during this economic year.

Granted they do have make money as a firm, but Lexus could do better with an ad this year with a combined message....like a Lexus happy owner that is stuffing their whole family/neighbours into the car in a blazing snowstorm.

It's all about building effective subconscious good branding from a business sense and as a smart corporate member of the bigger community.

[Crankin]

There are a lot of ads I think are stupid, but they are just that: stupid. There are also products I wouldn't buy, but I don't care if they are advertised... for example, I don't think we need most of the technology stuff that's around, but that doesn't mean there isn't a market for it. It's all business.
I know that when I couldn't afford some of the things I can have now, I did not care if they were on TV.
It's more the implied prejudice that if you have a higher income it's bad.
OK, off of my soapbox.

[lph]

This is an interesting discussion, though I haven't seen the commercial. I admit to having the same prejudices - "haven't they got anything better to do with all that money??! but it's not a very well-founded idea on my part. I do feel that there is a moral limit to how much consumerism I find acceptable, that's an ecological question as well, but if you have a lot of money, it is really your own business how you spend it. Giving a good, sound car that will run for years, to somebody who really needs it, if you can afford it, is a brilliant gift when I think of it.

Anyhoo. What gets my goat around Christmas-time are the ads trying to get men to buy really expensive jewelry for their wives and playing on their bad conscience. Even the discreet kind - "Don't you think she finally deserves ... this?", which implies that the only two possible answers are "yes" or "no". *puke*

[Bruno28]

I think this thread displays prejudice towards advertising executives.

Don't you realise how sensitive they are? You can't just go around hurting people's feelings like that.

[violette]

Being from Canada, we haven't hit bottom yet, but I see the USA in the news every day. Come on everyone, it's almost christmas...let's not get upset over something we can't control. Everyone has their opinion, let's respect that and stop this thread. The only thing it creates is bitterness!!! If you have your family and health, money can't take that away.

[maillotpois]

I think this thread displays prejudice towards advertising executives.

Don't you realise how sensitive they are? You can't just go around hurting people's feelings like that.

SNORT!

[Zen]

I think this thread displays prejudice towards advertising executives.

Don't you realise how sensitive they are? You can't just go around hurting people's feelings like that.

I've been watching that show "Mad Men".
Those guys drink a lot...

[Velobambina]

I don't care what other people buy because I figure that if you earned the $$, you can spend it however you like, so long as it doesn't hurt other folks.

I do feel sorry for the people who feel the need to buy expensive stuff just to try to impress others. They will never fill that hole, unfortunately, and will never have enough. I know a lot of these kind of folks.

I was part of the working poor during my HS years through early adulthood, so I understand how these ads have the potential to offend. But you know what, even if I HAD that kind of money, I wouldn't want an expensive car for a gift. I think driving a economical, practical, modest car is "cool."

This falls under the category of each to his/her own.

I get more offended by ads that marginalize/degrade women and/or promote unrealistic role models for females (i.e., super skinny, airbrushed, etc).