Thanks for the link. I see from that article that Boeing have commissioned a new customised Airstream van to transport crew out to the Starliner. So looks like responsibility for crew transport to launch is up to the commercial provider and so again, completely sensible for SpaceX to use vehicles from its sister company, as appropriate.
There is undeniably a marketing angle, yes. But I don't necessarily see this sort of marketing as harmful. Or 'cringeworthy', harking back to your original comment. What I do see as harmful is push advertising and Tesla, rather uniquely, does not do any of that.
