The Promotional Idea Showcase - Fall 2002 - Updated Quarterly

One For The Road
Assignment from a creative high school teacher to his junior history class: Each student got a card with a few words on it. None were the same. Then everyone got an identical question: “If [what your card noted] was a car, what kind would it be and why? Give specifics.” 

Heady stuff for 15-year-olds. Maybe that’s why the answers are still crystal clear after three decades. Here’s a Reader’s Digest version of some: “A Rolls-Royce with four flat tires, no muffler, a lot of dents and all its windows broken” (the words on the card were “The United States”). “A Ferrari – it runs perfectly until you hit any obstacle, even a tiny twig or pebble. Then it needs adjustment” (the U.S. Government). “A huge 18-wheel semi, because it thinks it can just roll over anything” (our Armed Forces). “A Jaguar XKE – it goes fast and always looks good” (U.S. currency). “A Country Squire station wagon – boring and conservative” (President Nixon). “An Edsel – a car that never should have been built in the first place” (the Vietnam war). You get the idea. 

Just for fun and because one of this issue’s articles deals with auto accessories, we applied the same question to “promotional products.” After some serious thought, and a lot of different possibilities considered, the answer that seemed to shake out was a Mercedes-Benz.

No insult to fans of any other car. But for some reason, Mercedes has a certain cachet that gave it an edge against the others, especially when compared to promotional products. Specifics? Coming right up. Keep in mind, though, that a sense of perspective is necessary:

No matter what model Mercedes you drive, the perceived value is always high. Same with logoed 
products. It doesn’t matter what you use; they always have a high perceived value.

Despite what many may think, there are currently 30 – yes, 30 – different Mercedes styles, 
ranging in price from $25,000 to $120,000. Promotional products are also available in a surprisingly wide selection, at a whole range of price points. 

People tend to notice Mercedes. They have a certain distinction about them. People also tend to notice a product with a logo on it, especially when it’s in plain sight, moving or not. 

The resale value of a Mercedes is usually higher than most other cars. In other words, it’s 
cost-effective in the long run. The pass-along value of imprinted items is also higher than most other forms of advertising, including their superior cost-effectiveness.

Most Mercedes drivers smile when operating the car; the way they handle and respond simply 
generates good feelings. Promotional products, likewise, almost always cause a smile; they generate good will and appreciation.

Many earlier Mercedes are indisputably acknowledged today as classic automobiles. Check out our article this issue on the 10 promotional products also acknowledged as classics in their field. 
Mercedes accomplish certain goals for those who buy them; they offer an extension of one’s persona and will nearly always get you to your intended location without incident. They just work. Depending on the item itself, promotional products can easily reflect a firm’s personality or image. And most of the time, they achieve their intended business goal without incident. They just work.

Other car makers may offer great service, but Mercedes is near-legendary. If something goes wrong under warranty, whatever it is, it will be fixed, period. Should something go wrong with your 
promotional product campaign, your counselor will make sure it gets fixed, period.

Finally, it’s not unusual to see Mercedes’ with 250,000, 300,000, or even 500,000 miles on them. They’re designed to last. It’s also not unusual to see promotional products people have carried or kept on their desks five, 10, 20, or even 40 years after receiving it. They, and the ad messages they bear, are designed to last, too.

OK. So you’ll never be able to get the exact same reaction to a logoed mug or pen that you’d get from an E430. But it’s tough to include cars in promotional mailings, too.

Thanks for reading.

Arn Bernstein
abernstein@asicentral.com