I saw this picture of two billboards in Santa Monica, California the other day, and it made me wonder: why can't I be exposed to such clever advertising on a daily basis? I feel as though it'd make all of my days that much better, no matter how shitty or fantastic it had been previously. Not only that, but it makes me want to buy the product. A week before the BMW billboard went up, I would have wanted to purchase the Audi A4. As a standalone piece of advertising, it's not all that bad. It's short, elegant, clever, and somewhat witty....much like my pickup lines. However, a week later the BMW billboard was up and BAM! I'm suddenly faced with a tough decision.
These two companies have forced the consumer body to increase our decision-making skills by simply putting up a picture of a product followed by a few words. In doing so, however, there are many questions one might ask before coming to a conclusion. For instance, someone may ask themselves "Well, BMW may have won the game of chess between the two in one move...which clearly means that BMW had a tough time growing up as a teen, and the only thing he could pick up to take his mind off of the bullies was chess. Audi, on the other hand, will probably just beat up BMW for being such a nerd once he realizes he's been beaten."
On the other side of the argument, there are the more kind-hearted people that feel for BMW for getting beat up for being such a loser nerd. "Audi is trying to compensate for something...probably the fact that his dad ran away from home when he was 7 and his mother is an alcoholic. That's the only reason he feels like he has to punch BMW in the face, is to protect himself from the emotional despair that's tearing him up from the inside-out." In this particular case, the consumer will feel obligated to purchase a BMW 325i simply because he or she is trying to protect the poor bastard. But then, who would protect Audi?...from himself?
This is where the riskier consumers step in, the ones with tons of ambition and confidence. Why, you may or may not ask? Simply because these type of consumers understand the value of taking something of beauty (in this case, the Audi) that has been covered in guilt and regret, and to transform it into something beautiful and breathtaking. When you see a BMW driving around town, you don't pay much attention to it because you know that the people driving him aren't really that interesting. However when an Audi A4 comes your way, not only do you feel short of breath, but your eyes can't help but to follow it out of sight, knowing that the most interesting, funny, and handsome person in the world was just within viewing distance from your humble self. Some like to call this moment the "Shock and Awe affect."
In closing, I pose one simple question: which type of person are you? Are you the commonman, boring individual who can't make important decisions or tell interesting stories at social gatherings that went with the BMW? Or are you the well-dressed, financially-secure-during-tough-economic-times, and physically in-shape consumer that made the bold choice of driving an Audi?
The choice is yours, folks. Who are you gonna be?
Don't let that potatowrangler fool you...these cars mean SERIOUS BUSINESS!
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