German Car Zone

It would seem so because I don't remember this much commotion when the S-class launched.

Things might have changed in more recent times ....I read that a few year ago (5-6 years ...something like that)

It's all about income distribution - what for the money is spent. I now MB is spending more for marketing than BMW, and that BMW spend more for direct sales promotion (incentives, appealing financial services etc) than MB - within the marketing budget.

Marketing also includes sales ... dealer network, leasing services etc. beside sales promotion actions, promo events, advertising, PR, marketing researching, sponsoring, donations, etc.

BMW events & motion pictures?
All the fancy movies for microsites, videos for web-tv, video ads.
All the events like the one in Moscow incl the huge hourglass, hydrogen promotion events, many events sponsored by BMW (sports - eg. golf, art - eg. concerts, exebitions etc)

Lately BMW are investing in HUGE "print" ad - like the one in Hamburg & Munich (1er coupe), Moscow (the M wall), Bangkok (check BMW-web.tv - The International Entertainment Magazine), even in Ljubljana we have 3 ultra-huge panels (aprox. 500m2 each) in BTC shopping district / center: one for X6, one for 1er coupe, one for BMW brand in general ... I have to take pics sometime.

Does anybody know what the marketing budgets are for Mercdes and BMW?

^yeah gotcha..
They invest in parts where we car enthusiast dont get any action..
Somehow i feel that BMW always has money in focus..with everything they do..
And they should..and thats probably why they are so sucessfull..
But in a way its not charming..its cold..
MB on the other hand..seems to manage well enough..but still do financially stupid things to make us happy

Could be.

But ...

It depends how the costs are distributed: how much money went for production, and how many for media space. eg. MB can be making less ads, putting in more targeted media, advertising less frequently - but investing more in production per ad than BMW.

It's all about quality vs quantity.

Also: MB marketing (not only advertising!) is still much bigger than the one of the BMW. Yet I have no info about distribution within marketing budget - expect sales promotion, financial services, and advertising.

This makes me think MB invests huge money in marketing researching, dealer network, customer care / management, etc.

That's a common criticism: BMW being to business/finance oriented, not enough product (car) oriented. Not being enough enthusiastic about products any more. Too rational. No more producing "candies" for aficionados (eg. supercars, super-performance editions, super-exclusive editions etc).

Ditto. MB does a far better job when it comes to official shots, especially with the AMG models. But I do agree that BMW ads are better.

Year 2007 Sales & administrative costs (mainly marketing related):

BMW Group: 5.25 billion Euros
Daimler AG: 13 billion Euros (8.9 billion Euros for sales costs, 4 billion for administrative costs)

GOd damn that is ALOT of money
MB pays 13billion to keep us happy?
Well give us 1 SL BS each and we would promote on every road on earth..
And it will be cheaper..haha