Cadillac has been running some ad lately where they talk about their great safety features, and then they say something like: "It's technology you won't find in a Mercedes E-Class!" But is this type of meager one-upsmanship really effective in this kind of competitive comparison? I think it might be more effective to use the ad hominem-style attack ad they use in politics. (After all, the political analysts always say people hate negative attack ads, but everyone uses them because they work. And isn't that why they're making an ad to begin with?)
So, for an ad like this, with Cadillac trying to get us to buy a car from them, rather than from Mercedes, why not try this instead: Have a showroom picture of a Mercedes, and then have the announcer say something like: "Mercedes was Hitler's favorite car." Then the video shows film of Hitler being driven around in his Mercedes 770 {or whatever model it was}, giving the Nazi salute to everyone from his car. Then they could show selected shots from Triumph of the Will, etc., to suitably smear Mercedes through guilt-by-association, like they always do in political ads. Then the announcer could say: "What are you, a Nazi or something?" Then they could show a showroom picture of a Cadillac, and then have the announcer say: "Cadillac: Made in America: Land of the free, and home of the brave!" And then they could follow that up with film clips of President Obama being driven around in his Cadillac tank (called "The Beast").
Now, wouldn't that be a great political-style attack ad? So if they want to smear the competition, why not do it like the politicians do it: with ad hominem mud-slinging and guilt-by-association tactics? That's how you really convince people: via shameless propaganda! And then Mercedes can make a rebuttal ad where they show Cadillacs associated with Mafia criminals from movies and such, and then they could show their Mercedes cars with movie heroes and famous musicians and the like. Or else they could make one where they show President Obama's armored Cadillac getting stuck in the gate of the U.S. embassy in Dublin, Ireland*, and say this would never happen to a Mercedes, etc. And then back and forth until their reputations are both destroyed, and we all go buy Audis, BMWs, Lexuses (Lexi?), Infinitis, Jaguars, Volvos, Saabs, Acuras, etc., instead. (Sorry if I left any brands out: there are too many to list here, it seems.)
BTW: Here's that Cadillac ad I mentioned in the first paragraph:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLtgmfBl3o0&list=PLA531BD114BE9CE49&index=4&feature=plpp_video
* Here's the story about President Obama's Presidential limo getting stuck in Ireland:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13507728
(Naturally, this is just a joke, and I would hope nobody would make an ad like this as anything other than a parody. And Cadillac and Mercedes are not involved whatsoever in this type of tripe.)
