# What's with those BASF commercials? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2000, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522 "2000-11-16T22:41:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Red\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a5b964/32.png) [@Red\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/1 "2000-11-16T22:41:38Z")
Has anyone else seen those commercial for BASF? The tag line is something like, “We don’t make the products you buy, we make them better.” But they don’t say which products they “made better” specifically. The last thing I saw their name on was audio cassettes back in the 80’s. Why would they spend the money to advertise to consumers who can’t buy any of their products? ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/2 "2000-11-16T22:48:46Z")
Maybe the product they want you to buy is their stock? Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_G7subs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/3 "2000-11-16T23:43:40Z")
They are a German chemical company.The made plastics,additives for anti freeze and that kinda stuff.They still make video cassette tapes. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/4 "2000-11-16T23:48:20Z")
Stocks? I don’t [but it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=12822). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/5 "2000-11-17T00:44:05Z")
They aren’t the only ones. There are a lot of “good will” or “name recognition” commercials I wonder about. ADM - “supermarket to the world” for instance. How many of us are interested in buying a few railroad cars full of lecethin? Drumming up interest in their stock is one definite possibility, as well as presenting a good image to offset the negative publicity which is about the only context the man in the street is otherwise going to hear these company’s names in, given the nature of news stories. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/6 "2000-11-17T01:48:13Z")
I’ve thought about this before and interestingly enough, whenever I hear these commercials it seems to cause a stir among my friends in the Jewish community Apparently, BASF is the last remaining piece of I.G. Farben which I understand is the company that made the poison used in the gas chambers (didn’t Cecil write about this?), so they fall into the guilt by association category. Of course, I personally think that’s pretty stupid and using that logic, no one should buy Mitsubishi televisions or cars since they made the Zero that bombed the crap out of Pearl Harbor and killed who knows how many Americans… Ignore that hijack though. More to the point, I get that they are just building ‘Brand Awareness’ but still, what’s the harm in showing us their video tapes, audio tapes, CDs, chemical plants, pharmaceuticals (they own Knoll - at least until they sell it next month)? ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/7 "2000-11-17T01:58:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yarster \* > \*\*I’ve thought about this before and interestingly enough, whenever I hear these commercials it seems to cause a stir among my friends in the Jewish community > > Apparently, BASF is the last remaining piece of I.G. Farben which I understand is the company that made the poison used in the gas chambers (didn’t Cecil write about this\*\* Yeah, Cecil DID write about this, which is how I know that Bayer Phsarmaceuticals is also a former part of I.G. Farben. Beyond that, I know nothing. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/8 "2000-11-17T02:10:43Z")
I. G. Farben was an enormous chemical cartel involved in many things, including the manufacture of Zyklon B and synthetic gasoline for Hitler’s war effort. Following WWII, it was broken up into subsidiary companies, many of which had a history predating the Farben conglomerate. If one is going to object to BASF on these grounds, one might also object to Hoechst AG, which you may not have heard of, as well as Bayer, which you undoubtedly have. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/9 "2000-11-17T03:14:30Z")
So what are you saying? That the poison gas was not quite deadly enough before BASF got their greasy paws on it? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/10 "2000-11-17T03:25:46Z")
By buying ad time they buy protection from investigative journalism. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_G7subs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/11 "2000-11-17T05:17:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*By buying ad time they buy protection from investigative journalism. \*\* Yeah,like Ford and Firestone did? ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_G7subs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/12 "2000-11-17T05:20:16Z")
Let us not forget…Dow and Phillips made Napalm and Agent Orange.I almost took a job with BASF, they pay well,have great benefits. ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/13 "2000-11-17T06:29:48Z")
Are you sure it was BASF? I thought it was Seimens. All I know is, I can’t stand that stupid song, and I always flip off the commercial when it comes on. Usually right before The News Hour. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/14 "2000-11-17T16:34:06Z")
From Attrayant’s link: > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Omniscient \* > …For example, think how BASF makes its money. By selling its chemicals and processing techniques to large corporations making wide ranging products, _and_ by selling their stock to investment banks, private investors, and whatever concerns help to fund their research. Its fair to say that the men responsible for soliciting BASF’s services will be watching TV, as will the poeple with money to invest. It is a calculated risk of course, and one could argue that there are more efficient methods of reaching this small but lucrative market without exposing to the deaf ears. Couldn’t have said it better myself. They’re trying to establish name recognition with executives so that they will get the sales contracts to “make them better.” I’ve worked for an employer who bought network time to influence the purchases of less than fifty people (a Fortune 500 business selling to other big businesses.) If the ads increase demand for their stock, then it’s all the better. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/15 "2000-11-17T17:46:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dr\_Paprika \* > \*\*So what are you saying? That the poison gas was not quite deadly enough before BASF got their greasy paws on it? > \*\* If i recall correctly, BASF predates WWI, even. They got their start making fertlizer additives in the late 19th century in Germany. Course, we have ourselves to blame for WWII. I mean, according to one story I’ve heard, Howard Hughes designed a lightweight fighter, but the US turned it down. Fortunately the Japanese picked up the design. That was what became the Zero. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/16 "2000-11-17T18:02:28Z")
“In 1865 Badische Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik AG (BASF) was founded by Friedrich Engelhorn to produce coal tar dyes and precursors. In 1925 the decision was taken to merge BASF, Hoechst, Bayer and three more companies. With the founding of I.G. Farbenindustrie AG, BASF ceased to exist as an independent company.” Farben was broken up by the Allies after WWII. “Badische Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik AG was finally entered in the Commercial Register in 1952 as one of the three successor companies of I.G. Farben.” [http://www.basf-ag.basf.de/en/daten/geschichte/1901.htm](http://www.basf-ag.basf.de/en/daten/geschichte/1901.htm) Aside to **Saint Zero** : The Zero was designed and built by Mitsubishi. Boycott Everything! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/17 "2000-11-17T18:11:21Z")
**Saint Zero** , nice Username/Post match. Of course, there are folks who won’t notice the smiley and we really should note that Mitsubishi’s engineers were more than capable of designing the A6M without buying, borrowing, or stealing anything from Mr. Hughes. (Northrop was the company that really did take flak during WWII because they were accused of selling the design for the Val or the Kate bombers to Japan, but that was as false as the Hughes story.) ---
**Author:** ![hapaXL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@hapaXL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hapaXL)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-basf-commercials/41522/18 "2000-11-17T18:53:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tomndebb \* > \*\* > > Of course, there are folks who won’t notice the smiley and we really should note that Mitsubishi’s engineers were more than capable of designing the A6M without buying, borrowing, or stealing anything from Mr. Hughes. (Northrop was the company that really did take flak during WWII because they were accused of selling the design for the Val or the Kate bombers to Japan, but that was as false as the Hughes story.) \*\* i might have an explanation for these kind of stories. if i can remember from a book “War Without Mercy” by John Dower that was about the role of racism in the Pacific war, Americans just wouldn’t believe that the Zero was a superior plane because the Japanese weren’t smart enough to design it. so obviously some Americans must have sold them the plans. :rolleyes: i guess a lot of America’s early difficulties in that war stemmed from their total underestimation of the capabilities of Japanese people; propaganda said that they couldn’t be good pilots because they had poor eyesight. why? because their eyes were too small! geniuses.