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

"Can we make these photos darker?"

By Rain Noe - November 18, 2020

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 the landing page for the iX itself, both in the images and 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:

Enter a caption (optional)

via Jalopnik & The Drive

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

albert skoczylas

a month ago

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Bad publicity is still publicity...
I think they are narrowing their customer base down to wealthy people
who thrive on being different for the sake of attention.
"Look at my "hideous" car that you can't afford... hater!"

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Ray Jepson

a month ago

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That video is even weirder. This is why I never start a presentation with, "Some of you might not like this, but here it is..." Why prime the customer with negativity?

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Ray Jepson

a month ago

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On the Canadian site, they have a shot that is cut off near the roof with a white bar. It makes the whole design look lower and sleeker. It does feel like the graphic design department was given the task of making it look good!

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no spec

a month ago

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how you like the 'Bangle Butt' now?

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Rain Noe

I’m a lapsed industrial designer. I was born in NYC and figured I’d die there, but a few years ago I abandoned New York to live on a farm in the countryside with my wife. We have six dogs.