Che Chic
In one of those great ironies of capitalism, the sadistic little bastard the Cuban people knew as Che Guevara has been transformed into a chic marketing icon. My good friend Mike Gonzalez of the Heritage Foundation has an interesting piece on how Mercedes Benz has now become the latest to do down the Che route, launching a new car under his image. This is his lead paragraph:
There's something about Che Guevara that convinces older European men that they will become cooler through association with his "brand." We saw that again yesterday when Mercedes-Benz Chairman Dieter Zetsche launched a new car under a banner picture of Guevara. Years ago, an equally desperate Anglican clergyman tried to stem dwindling congregations with a poster of Guevara wearing a crown of thorns. The hip slogan? "Meek and Mild?"
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Comments:
Jul '11
Re: Che Chic
Here is what I have said 10 plus times to those sporting his image who have the imprudence to engage me in conversation. "I'm glad that murderous slime ball got executed. Perhaps you should add a Hitler shirt next time you go out in public."
Would Mercedes launch a new Hangman Heydrich class or a Goebbles diesel?
Aug '10
Re: Che Chic
"You are a Che Guevera T-Shirt Wearer, and you have no idea of who he is..."
Awesome song.
Aug '10
Re: Che Chic
The "Baader-Mienhof Super Coupe" does have a certain ring to it...
Sep '10
Re: Che Chic
People who admire Che like to torch Mercedes-Benz's.
We are living in a world that's become impossible to parody. This is why I'm not-so-impressed with "capitalists" of today. They don't understand what it is, why it is, and how the whole system is seriously threatened. They have just inherited a system (fought and died for by many Americans BTW) that allows them to make tons of money, after that they are clueless. I am no longer a natural ally. While I don't agree with OWS types at all, I am starting to dislike these clueless corporate types for running and hiding and appeasing, and giving to Democrats and RINOs.
Aug '10
Re: Che Chic
Correction: They like to torch other people's Mercedes-Benz's.
They'd be happy to buy one of their own from the proceeds of a cushy government job.
Sep '10
Re: Che Chic
With optional Cabriolet roof for easier drive-by shootings of executives
Sep '10
Re: Che Chic
Viva la revolution!
These pics were taken in Berlin, torching perpetrated by Che's ideological descendants and admirers, and they are Mercedes.
Smart Cars-Dumb Executives
Edited on January 11, 2012 at 10:22pmDec '10
Re: Che Chic
Franco: People who admire Che like to torch Mercedes-Benz's.
We are living in a world that's become impossible to parody. This is why I'm not-so-impressed with "capitalists" of today. They don't understand what it is, why it is, and how the whole system is seriously threatened. They have just inherited a system (fought and died for by many Americans BTW) that allows them to make tons of money, after that they are clueless. I am no longer a natural ally. While I don't agree with OWS types at all, I am starting to dislike these clueless corporate types for running and hiding and appeasing, and giving to Democrats and RINOs. · Jan 11 at 12:58pm
Cronyism pays beri beri well...
Jul '11
Re: Che Chic
The Polpot put put, comes in Rouge.
The Stalin station wagon. Comes with tinted windows for Darkness at Noon.
The Mao mobile, tens of millions of life debts and rich Corinthian human leather.
The Castro crossover, driven my Michael Moore and proven better than a Cadillac.
The Trotsky truck, gives you a Snowball's chance in hell.
Dec '10
Re: Che Chic
It's odd that Mercedes-Benz went beyond its home borders for a picture of a socialist mass murderer.
Mar '11
Re: Che Chic
"Dr. Z" ran Chrysler into the ground. His judgement appears not to have improved with age.
Apr '11
Re: Che Chic
Franco
Viva la revolution!
These pics were taken in Berlin, torching perpetrated by Che's ideological descendants and admirers, and they are Mercedes.
Smart Cars-Dumb Executives · Jan 11 at 1:15pm
Edited on Jan 11 at 01:22 pm
When Mercs are burned, people buy more Mercs. How is this bad for Mercedes? If there was a widespread sense that Mercedes were encouraging this, that would be bad, but a little nudge and wink encouragement won't do them any harm.
Plus, if you really hate and envy the consumers of your product, how much of a frisson would you get from getting them to buy products that are specifically marketed as a celebration of their violent murder? I wouldn't be at all surprised if that pleasure was a part of the motivation for some of the employees involved.
May '11
Re: Che Chic
"It's funny... I love driving this fine automobile yet I'm consumed by the urge to drag myself from it and put a bullet into the back of my head."
May '10
Re: Che Chic
The awesome David Burge has been wonderfully brutal on this - just look here. If you are not following Iowahawk on Twitter, you should be.
Edited on January 12, 2012 at 2:18pmApr '11
Re: Che Chic
Ah, isn't it wonderful how leftists will worship an outright mass murderer like Che, but they're happy to spit on Washington and Jefferson?
A nice gift for a Che-loving acquaintance is a t-shirt I once saw online: A picture of Hitler replaced Che and the caption read "Sorry, My Che and Mao Shirts are in the Wash."
After I emailed that link to my co-worker he finally stopped trying to convince me to watch The Motorcycle Diaries.
I do try to stay away from Hitler comparisons. My preferred challenge to a Che defender is ask how they would react if free market conservatives actively celebrated General Pinochet. Despite the fact that the economic reforms under Pinochet were more successful then those under any leftist reformer, conservatives steer clear because the man was a monster. Plus, there are enough real world examples of market success that, unlike the left, conservatives don't need to desperately cling to murderous thugs.
Aug '10
Re: Che Chic
I live in New Jersey, in a NYC suburb that has some rather expensive homes. There was recently a house tour benefiting one of the schools, and in one of the featured homes, when I ascended to the attic bedroom belonging to the teenage son, I was shocked and dismayed to find a large wall mural of the infamous, homicidal, Argentine commie. Repulsive.
Aug '10
Re: Che Chic
Allowing strangers into the bedroom of one's teenage son has got to be in the running for the Creepiest Fundraising Idea Of The Year Award.
Aug '10
Re: Che Chic
Misthiocracy
Allowing strangers into the bedroom of one's teenage son has got to be in the running for the Creepiest Fundraising Idea Of The Year Award. · Jan 12 at 10:59am
Agreed. House tours are rather common as a fundraiser, but usually the bedrooms are off-limits. I'm sure the teenage son was not thrilled with this invasion of his sanctum sanctorum.
I should clarify something in my post: The Che likeness was not a mural per se; rather, it was a commercially-produced wall decal - a black, silhouette-type image. (My daughter has one of the Eiffel Tower.) This makes it even worse - that there is a company somewhere producing these, for the scions of Wall Streeters to plaster on their walls. What made it so creepy from my perspective was that the room otherwise was like something you'd see in a design magazine.
Edited on January 12, 2012 at 8:12pmJul '11
Re: Che Chic
A nice gift for a Che-loving acquaintance is a t-shirt I once saw online: A picture of Hitler replaced Che and the caption read "Sorry, My Che and Mao Shirts are in the Wash."
After I emailed that link to my co-worker he finally stopped trying to convince me to watch The Motorcycle Diaries.
I do try to stay away from Hitler comparisons. My preferred challenge to a Che defender is ask how they would react if free market conservatives actively celebrated General Pinochet. Despite the fact that the economic reforms under Pinochet were more successful then those under any leftist reformer, conservatives steer clear because the man was a monster. Plus, there are enough real world examples of market success that, unlike the left, conservatives don't need to desperately cling to murderous thugs. · Jan 12 at 5:37am
You're asking me to discuss Pinochet with a Che wearing 20 year old? They'd probably tell me not discuss Disney characters.
Apr '11
Re: Che Chic
DocJay
You're asking me to discuss Pinochet with a Che wearing 20 year old? They'd probably tell me not discuss Disney characters. · Jan 12 at 12:56pm
Good point. For the 20 year old you might want to discuss Che's views and treatment of gays.
No worries. There is something for everyone to loath about this thug!