Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek.

I tend to judge car brands by those who drive them.

It's shameful, I know.

However, it also turns out to enjoy some accuracy.

Currently, I see more painfully arrogant driving from those in a BMW than those in a Mercedes. 

Which, peculiarly enough, might also reflect the people behind each brand.

My cogitations on this subject were stimulated by BMW's recent attempt to denigrate Mercedes in a touchingly arrogant manner.

On Twitter, naturally.

It was Halloween, so BMW thought it would insist that Mercedes's vision of a superhero was, in fact, a BMW. 

I worry about the basic premise.

It strikes me that Mercedes drivers likely bought their cars because they didn't want to buy a BMW or an Audi. (Or, I suppose, a Lexus.)

Ergo, perhaps they wouldn't consider either of those German brands supremely heroic.

Yet to drift to Twitter in order to take up an arrogant posture and belch at your rival was surely asking for it.

It took Mercedes less than an hour to offer its considered, measured response.

Should you not have been aware, BMW has endured considerable mockery for how its cars have become greater around the grilles.

Some fear it's tending toward the ugly.

So Mercedes's pithy response seemed to brilliantly reflect the public mood.

There's always a temptation to mock a rival, especially if the rivalry has its bitter tinges.

But if you're going to do it--especially if you're going to do it on Twitter--make sure that your mockery has a winning aspect.

Otherwise, you might get grilled. (My apologies.)

Published on: Nov 7, 2019
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
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