#HTE

BMW’s Response to Design Criticism of iX: It’s Not Us, It’s You

Once, I envied BMW’s designers. Nowadays I don’t envy their marketers, who must craft a campaign around the widely-reviled design of their new iX. And thus far their approach is basically It’s not us, it’s you. If you don’t like the design, you’ve got some kind of problem.

This is evinced in both the landing page for the iX itself, both in the images selected and with the copy. For several of the images, they chose shots where the car is not well-lit and/or is partially obscured, like they’re practically trying to hide it:

As for the copy, here’s the approach they’re taking:

“You will always have plenty of reasons to change. But the truth is: It’s always easier to find a reason not to. It might not be the best time for you right now, or perhaps you find yourself in the wrong place. You might think that technology still hasn’t reached its peak, or that the design looks strange.

"…[We ask] one simple question: "What’s your reason not to change?”

Because once you accept the endless possibilities of shaping the future for the better, we believe there is no real reason not to take that first step. There is no reason not to change.“

In other words, it’s not that we’re recoiling at a cascading series of horrific design decisions. We are "in the wrong place” and collectively experiencing some kind of emotional or psychological barrier to accepting change and understanding that the design must be good. Because all change is good.

BMW is also engaging in some hilarious Twitter exchanges:

It’s a very weird tack to take, but I don’t know what else their marketers could possibly do.

In the end, drivers will vote with their wallets. It will be interesting to see what the initial sales figures look like.

Lastly, here’s their somewhat condescending video, with a voiceover chiding you to get with the program and accept the iX as the future:

via Jalopnik & The Drive