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11“Tilting at Elks,’’ Time Magazine, International Edition,
December 8, 1997, p.45.
pany suspended Goodyear as supplier for the A-Class,
and offered owners of Goodyear-fitted A-Class models
the opportunity to have their tires exchanged. Clearly,
Mercedes was unable to admit its own failures in the
production and engineering of the A-Class. By resorting
to such tactics, Mercedes counteracted to save its
reputation, and brought about a strong disapproval
reaction from the media and consumers alike. Statements
as, “We want to finish the discussion about the
A-Class now and forever,’’10 had been made even
before any discussions and explanations were provided.
Its initial reaction added considerably to the
public disapproval and negative attitude toward the
German giant.
Reactions of the Media
A negative and uniform reaction from worldwide
media followed the announcement by the Swedish car
magazine on the disappointing Moose-Test results of
the A-Class. German journalists were less schadenfroh
(gloating) than their foreign colleagues. No good journalist
could possibly miss out on the opportunity to
belittle a strong and glamorous company like Mercedes-
Benz. It was perfect chance to demonstrate that
even the best and most powerful can be stopped in its
tracks by an unexpected roadblock, such as a lovely
creature of the Swedish forest. From being celebrated
as a brilliant innovation, the A-Class has become every
European car magazine’s favorite car to flip over. Anyone
who has witnessed Mercedes’ breathtaking arrogance
over the years would have had considerable
difficulty restraining themselves from laughter, while
sympathizing with the Stuttgart company’s misfortunes.
As for Mercedes, the only market share that it
gained in the short run was on the market for jokes
that kept Europe laughing for a while: “How do you
park an A Class Mercedes?’’ Answer: “Just drive
alongside a space and fall into it.’’ And when word got
out that an old Trabi—the rumpled rattletrap of
former East Germany—had passed the Moose-Test
safely, Munich’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung laughingly
called it “Trabi’s revenge.’’11
The Media in Germany
The German media seemed to be almost as shocked by
the sobering outcome of the Moose-Test as Mercedes-
Benz itself. As if they did not believe it either, German
journalists undertook the task of convincing themselves
of the validity of the test by conducting tests of their
own.When all the facts had been confirmed, they began
demanding answers from the company they had so long
supported for being one of the top car manufacturers in
the world. Nonetheless, when Mercedes pronounced
itself “not guilty,’’ the pressure from the German press
increased rapidly.True to their reputation, the journalists
went on an investigation to uncover the specific reasons
for the failure of the A-Class.When the results were in,
they did not hesitate to tell the people, and Mercedes,
that there were problems that should be seriously
addressed. In the meantime, the car manufacturer
became the leading target of show-masters, magazines,
and newspapers that all enjoyed a good laugh at the
expense of Mercedes.
Besides poking fun at the company, journalists
increasingly criticized Mercedes’ reluctance in assuming
responsibility for bringing into the market an insecure
product. Evidence pointed out that initial tests
had demonstrated concerning substandard test results.
In the spring of 1997, six months before the car was
launched, a test-drive effectuated by a member of the
Daimler – Benz management team revealed that there
was a need to further improve the design of the car.
Among the journalists, there was a strong feeling of
resentment toward the company that had ignored
previous test results and knowingly brought an insecure
car on the market. This strong criticism had a profound
effect on Mercedes management, which had
most often benefited from a positive support by the
German press. It might have been this at-home pressure,
combined with the criticisms coming from all
over the world, that led to a change of the company’s
strategy.
Besides making friendly jokes, it is evident that the
German press tried to simply find the specific reasons for
the unfortunate failure of the A-Class by stressing the
absolute need for more testing so that a clear vision of
the car and its defects would be found. This reaction
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