The Maybach Landaulet

Envy and desire are kindled after watching this commercial of the 2009 Maybach Landaulet.

The landaulet exudes power, cutting-edge aesthetics, state-of-the-art technology and ultimate luxury.

This commercial is excellent in terms of convincing the target audience that the Maybach is a must-have to match their respective status and lifestyle and something to be coveted after.

A 1931 Maybach Zeppelin source




A 1931 Zeppelin and the 2010 Zeppelin source




The Maybach Exelero source

Interior of a Maybach 62 source




Interior of a Maybach Landaulet source

Maybach has a long and rich history, having been founded in 1909 and initially manufactured engines for airplanes and military tanks. It only remodeled itself into a luxury car maker in 1997 and today, it has a base of reputable clients, ranging from wealthy businessmen to royalty. Singapore has at least 2 Maybachs and one of which is owned by City Development Limited (CDL) Chairman and Singaporean billionaire Kwek Leng Beng.

• Appeal to the senses; creating a need and desire for it:
  
  How then, is Maybach going to market its cars if it comes with such a hefty price tag of at least half a million US Dollars and despite the lack of obvious competition? It is important for the marketing and advertising personnel to focus on the target audience and identify who they are and work on how best to communicate to them. Next, to effectively tug at the heartstrings (and pockets) of the target audience, mastering the art of persuasion is instrumental. Knowing how to convince them logically, using emotive triggers that stimulate the senses, relying on the establishment of the brand and boasting its range of respected clientele; Madonna, the Saudi royal family, the Prince of Belgium, and more.
  
  
  Notice that in the commercial, the clients of Maybach were portrayed to be extremely affluent and powerful. The couple were confident people who employed a uniformed chauffeur and lived in a magnificent chateau.

In today's world when oil prices are at a record high, most car commercials would boast fuel efficiency. Technological improvements and safety are also used as selling points but not for the Maybach. In fact, the Maybach is very fuel inefficient; having a curb weight of nearly 3000kg but being able to accelerate from 0 to 100kmh in under 5 seconds with a 5.7L or 6.2L engine. Also, the Maybach does not feature its stats and quality.

This value of asthetic discretion makes it very appealing to the well-heeled and gives it an advantage over its main rival, Rolls Royce. It is clear who the target audience is; the overclass who do not need to consider the cost before purchasing it.

To evoke the senses and stir up emotion, or what we would dub pathos in rhetorical persuasion, the commercial uses music, lighting, visuals and atmosphere to stimulate feeling. The choice of music is extremely important, and elegant classical music was used in the advertisement. There was a pause in the middle which generated suspense to lead to a build-up of emotions. Following that, the key of music changed and it continued with increased loudness which heightened the sense of grandeur, evoking awe when the car was presented in its full glory.

The front of the commercial presented only a glimpse of what the car would look like and dim lighting was used, to make the viewer curious about how the whole car would look like. When the car was fully shown, it was under bright sunlight. The color white was chosen for the car body and upholstery to make it appear to be more spacious, and to also represent purity, divinity and perfection.

A white rose was also featured 3 times and at different stages. The very first time it was shown, it was just a bud. The second time it was shown, it was starting to bloom. The third time it was shown, it bloomed fully. The stages of the rose corresponded to the respective part of the commercial. What do you think the advertisers were trying to convey when the used the rose at different stages?

Maybach banks on its promise and commitment to superior craftsmanship and also has a large base of well-known buyers including the aforementioned celebrities and royalties. This is extremely important for brand recognition and Maybach can play on its established ethos to attract more well-known clients.

It is clear that this commercial exhibits a linear mode of communication to its audience. It only highlights the features of the car and shows off the aesthetic values without providing any avenue for feedback, not even an email address. Perhaps the intention of utilizing a linear form of communication and non-verbal cues such as visuals make the commercial more appealing. It invokes curiosity and questions in the minds of its viewers, causing interested viewers to actively go find out more about the car itself.

This commercial is a very intelligent one, as it understands communication theories very well and therefore make full use of it to appeal to the very hearts of viewers.

Please share your views on whether you agree or disagree and to what extent, with my views on how this commercial has utilized the different elements of communication to reach out to its target audience :)