Mercedes vs. BMW: Logo Ad on Reddit Drives Internet Crazy

Curious logo ad doesn’t appear to have been generated by either Mercedes or BMW, but that is not stopping the debate over who the ad is for.

They may not be as brutal as political ads, but automaker advertisements rarely pull any punches. And Mercedes-Benz and BMW have been battling it out for decades. So, when this logo ad popped up on Reddit recently it elicited quite the response. First, folks are trying to determine if either Mercedes or BMW created this as an official ad. That seems highly unlikely. This was probably drafted by someone as just a simple exercise or to have a bit of fun. The second question is more intriguing. That would be, who exactly is this logo ad for? Does it benefit Mercedes or BMW? Remember that ‘what color is this dress’ meme dividing the internet a few years ago? This logo ad has not gone quite that viral yet, but it does have folks arguing their side.

The three-pointed star in a circle is one of the most valuable trademarks in the world. The history of the logo can be traced back to 1909. At that time, it was a small three-pointed star with four small stars in a ring. It was updated in 1916 to include the word ‘Mercedes’ under the star. In 1925 the ring was replaced with a laurel wreath as a nod to motorsport victories. Also, in 1926 the company was then Mercedes-Benz and that was reflected in the trademark. Long story short, the Mercedes-Benz logo has a long history and they do not take it likely. So, what is the deal with this logo ad?

BMW Ad

Upon first glance this would appear to be an ad for BMW. The logo is shown as a Mercedes three-pointed star spinning to turn into the BMW logo. And the logic for most folks who read left to right would be to assume that Mercedes is somehow the lesser and it must evolve to become as good as BMW. However, the ad copy would seem to contradict that assumption. When you take the copy into account it seems to be more of a Mercedes ad.

Mercedes-Benz Ad

The top of the ad has the text ‘Speed up to see us’ followed by a BMW logo. That can be taken in one of two ways. From the BMW perspective it could be saying to Mercedes that they must speed up to catch BMW. But you could also look at it another way. It could be Mercedes saying that BMW must speed up to catch up to Mercedes. But what really makes this appear as a Mercedes ad is the copy at the bottom of the ad. ‘Behind every authentic brand there’s a more authentic one.’ That would seem to infer that Mercedes is the more authentic brand. Combined with the small three-pointed star at the bottom of the ad, it sure seems like this is pro-Mercedes and anti-BMW.

Good Try

The idea behind this logo ad is clever but the implementation is poor. Certainly, a company never wants to put out an ad that no one really knows who the heck it is for. Again, this appears to be just a mockup and in no way an official advertisement. However, if this gains enough traction on the internet will BMW or Mercedes ever address it? Or perhaps even create their own official ad inspired by this? We just have to wait and see.

Photos: Mercedes-Benz; Reddit u/dafyddtomas

Join the MB World forums now!

Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.