Honestly Mercedes -- what were you thinking?
How could you let your marketing folks use an altered image of "el Che" Guevara to promote the revolution in automobiles enabled by new technologies?
For historical purposes the unaltered image was taken when Guevara was a commander of the Cuban Revolution. The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista who, was no angel, but at least he rolled in a Benz.
Once Batista was ousted, he was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro with Guevara at this side. This government later reformed along communist lines, becoming the present Communist Party of Cuba.
For purposes of brevity, I'm going to spare you the parade of horribles -- murders, torture, rapes, imprisonment and the like. I'm just going to stick to the ideological side of this ridiculousness.
For our friends who don't know, a communist revolution is a proletarian (labor class) revolution inspired by the ideas of Marxism that aims to replace capitalism with communism. And, communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, stateless and revolutionary socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production.
I don't think luxury automobiles fit in that system for "marketing" purposes. Though, communism may work for your mass transit and tractor trailer business but you'll probably have to discontinue the SLS AMG those that type of red state -- just a guess.
What is even worse about this debacle, is that you made this "marketing" presentation in the global capital of excess -- Las Vegas. Really! You portrayed a communist icon for the purposes of selling luxury vehicles in SIN CITY. Honestly, this type of screw up can't be made up. Even "el Che" is turning in his grave.
I'm done beating the dead horse but for a company whose philosophy is to give the best to customers who expect the best -- because they are willing to pay for it -- you kind of look ridiculous.
Luis Andre Gazitua is a Lawyer and Government Affairs Council in Miami, Fl. His mother is Cuban and his Cuban father in law was imprisoned in Cuba for two years by Castro after the failed attempt to take Cuba back at the Bay of Pigs invasion.