by Marty Bernstein | Mar 9, 2009
The economy has “fallen off a cliff,” contends the so-called Wizard of Omaha, mega-investor Warren Buffett. The founder of Berkshire Hathaway, traditionally one of the nation’s most successful investment firms, Buffett said he expects to see...
by Marty Bernstein | Mar 6, 2009
Black Diamond Run in San Francisco for AUDI Ad in Germany Audi’s agency in Germany, Kempertrautmann in Hamburg, has created one helluva an exciting commercial for the Quattro. Spectacular footage, outstanding production values, music and talent. See how good and...
by Marty Bernstein | Mar 2, 2009
This is not a joke nor is it suitable for my Marketing Minutia column, this is really big news I’ve been following for a week. Reports from the UK via the Financial Times famous pink sheets and Sindah Today, an Indian news service, confirm a rumor first reported in...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 27, 2009
The weekly compendium of arcane, interesting, weird or just odd items from the weird and often silly world of automotive marketing, advertising, promotion and publicity. New Lexus voice-over For as long as I can recall Lexus television commercials had a very...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 25, 2009
The automotive business stinks. Thousands of jobs lost with more cuts to come. Factories closing almost daily. People hurting. Benefits cut or eliminated. Dealers dropping retail flies. Hubris, excess, arrogance and denial in the executive suites — and in...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 24, 2009
The nominees in the annual Academy Awards non-category of “car brand in a supporting role” for the star-studded arrivals at dinners, parties and the event itself are Audi, BMW and Toyota. A vote by the members of the media in Lalaland was determined by the presence...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 20, 2009
Even as the automobile industry falls deeper and deeper into a monetary abyss, there is marketing minutia. Moments, quotes, media releases, gaffes, news articles, commercials, ads and other arcana that is mystifying, mirthful or murky about the automobile business....
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 17, 2009
Mini dealers around the country will be open for open business in a few weeks with the new 2009 Mini convertible. The iconic Brit Brand, now a part of Germany’s BMW Group, has, in a few short years, arguably become the most unique brand in the world. This reputation,...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 16, 2009
Michael Phelps, the eight gold medal winner at the recent Beijing Olympics, who last month was retained by Mazda (outside the U.S.) as a spokesperson for a reported $1 million was contrite and apologetic in a :52-second video airing in China to apologize for the...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 13, 2009
If you’re not a fashionista — the term used to define a woman with a predilection for shopping and a natural flair for following fashionable trends – tomorrow means nothing to you. Fashion Week in New York is thus just another Big Apple trade event. But if you...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 6, 2009
Business stinks. From the biggest, AutoNation, to a one brand domestic or import store, there have been a30 percent-plus drops for the last four months running. There’s no solace knowing China sold more cars in January than the U.S. for the first time in history. The...
by Marty Bernstein | Feb 2, 2009
Thirty seconds at a hundred-thou per second for 3 million bucks per commercial is a carefully considered advertising expenditure (some call it an investment) anytime, but especially in to-day’s gloomy economic environment. Commercials have become almost as important...
