Computing titan Intel has been making plenty of waves lately in the self-driving car world, from acquiring autonomous tech company MobileEye, to partnering with Google spinoff Waymo, and FCA and BMW. Now, in an effort to make the emerging technology more familiar, it’s launching an ad featuring NBA star LeBron James as a passenger in an...

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Not sure why they chose James. Makes me think this is a luxury item I can't afford and for dummies that know nothing about cars.

LeBron is still a popular public figure.

Maybe because in 2008 he got a speeding ticket for doing 101 in a 65 on I71 in his Mercedes, so a self diving car stops that?!! 

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

LeBron is still a popular public figure.

True. I've always been about sell me on the car, not who drives the car. Judging by commercials and other advertising, I'm very alone in that group though.

I take it one step further, I don't care who drives it, who sells it or what they tell me about it! I judge a car on engineering, common sense in design and what it truly is worth; at least to me! We could get into a whole quagmire here of principles, but a simple example is the front suspension that overtook Macpherson strut rear wheel drives from Mercedes to G8's to Camaros. What an abortion! All because somebody  wanted to make it cheaper. Well that did' work, five joints that fight each other to replace what worked in harmony and could align a car pretty simple in 4 directions. Justa abysmal design. One of the reasons I never bought a new Camaro, sorry Ringo!

As much as I agree whole heartedly with both Ringo and Last Indian on their principles and such, from a pure advertising perspective, this almost a sure thing. Lebron represents a leader, an athlete, a man who can literally afford what his heart desires and people know that. So making him a front man "must say something about this product or technology".

Now that I've taken my marketing hat off, the technology (as Last Indian points out) could be total B.S., but someone might buy it anyway (hey some people bought Yugos didn't they?).

17 minutes ago, Frosty said:

As much as I agree whole heartedly with both Ringo and Last Indian on their principles and such, from a pure advertising perspective, this almost a sure thing. Lebron represents a leader, an athlete, a man who can literally afford what his heart desires and people know that. So making him a front man "must say something about this product or technology".

Now that I've taken my marketing hat off, the technology (as Last Indian points out) could be total B.S., but someone might buy it anyway (hey some people bought Yugos didn't they?).

From a marketing perspective I agree wholeheartedly. I'm not the norm  though! So I know why they do it, it's just wasted on me. There are hidden agendas in most businesses and they will prevail since most of the sheep eat the grass not knowing its laced with dioxins! You might have to think about that for a minute!

Your all overthinkin this..... He HAS to sit in the back seat to stretch his legs.  Really doesn't give a damn who's drivin.   Also gets a boost from Nike if the shoes show in the windshield.

17 hours ago, Last Indian said:

From a marketing perspective I agree wholeheartedly. I'm not the norm  though! So I know why they do it, it's just wasted on me. There are hidden agendas in most businesses and they will prevail since most of the sheep eat the grass not knowing its laced with dioxins! You might have to think about that for a minute!

So as the old expression goes "If you don't like it, don't buy", this clearly applies to you Last Indian (and me).

I love your sheep analogy too.