Car Commercials, the good, the bad, and the annoying!

stickguy

no, nerds that don't care they aren't cool.

fintail

People who want nothing more than a safe and reliable choice, but don't want to have the image of safe and reliable. Like the bold new Camry.

fintail

The new Chevy ad along the lines of "Just like a Range Rover, reminds me of a BMW" etc is pretty bad. That type of campaign seldom works in modern times, and always makes me think of this:

fezo

Boy, did that awaken some really unpleasant memories. My dad bought a Grenada in the late 70s. He had his share of unpleasant cars (and some nice ones) but that took the cake!

roadburner

fintail said:

The new Chevy ad along the lines of "Just like a Range Rover, reminds me of a BMW" etc is pretty bad. That type of campaign seldom works in modern times, and always makes me think of this:

Exactly. BMW ran an effective ad in the late '80s or early '90s; a couple was car shopping and in each showroom the salesman said something along the lines of "It's just as good as a BMW."

If you have a good product you don't have to mention the competition at all - never mind using their names...

stever

My memory is a bit vague, but it seems like it was cutting edge back in the late 70s to name your competition - something daring to do to make people rethink their preconceived notions. Bit different from saying "the Cadillac of watches" that was in some ad copy way back when.

Wiki says they sold two million of them beween '75 and '82.

fintail

The late 70s also had a song for every product - maybe not bad that some trends of that era have passed. If only houses were as affordable here, even with high inflation interest rates.

I can't remember a MB/BMW etc ad comparing itself to more expensive competition. Heck, I don't think Caddy is even doing it. Hyundai did it when the Genesis was introduced, and got some mocking.

On the commercial note, I notice the Camry Army daughter commercial seems to have vanished right about the time it was parodied.

fintail

Others are mocking the Chevy ad campaign too - I shudder to think about the salaries of people who create and approve this stuff.

stickguy

lately Toyota has been running ads with Jan reading passages from the brochures, in a very "dramatic" way. Even for Toyota, very odd and frankly a little disturbing. But hysterical to think they actually put the hyperbole in the brochures!

fintail

The Audi ad with a calm and considerate driver comparing himself to a jerky puddle splashing BMW driver is pretty amusing - especially as Audi seems to attract some stereotypical BMW "types".

au1994

fintail said:

Others are mocking the Chevy ad campaign too - I shudder to think about the salaries of people who create and approve this stuff.

I often mistake a Traverse with that big gold bow tie on the front for an Audi Q7.

fintail

Traverse and Q7 are both pretty homely. That Chevy ad also makes me cringe when a dope says a car with wifi (no mention you pay for it, of course) is "the dream".

Any commercial with whistling is awful, too.

roadburner

fintail said:

Traverse and Q7 are both pretty homely. That Chevy ad also makes me cringe when a dope says a car with wifi (no mention you pay for it, of course) is "the dream".

Any commercial with whistling is awful, too.

My only hope is that they are so stupid that they will never move up to a European marque.

au1994

fintail said:

Traverse and Q7 are both pretty homely. That Chevy ad also makes me cringe when a dope says a car with wifi (no mention you pay for it, of course) is "the dream".

Any commercial with whistling is awful, too.

Agree on the Traverse. Q7 is no looker but the significant other is considering one to replace her MDX so I'm trying to learn to love it

fintail

With lease or warranty, I hope, right? I imagine longterm ownership experience for a Q7 is different than for a MDX, and maybe not in a good way.

The Chevy wifi ad is still airing a lot, but the "this must be a BMW" themed one seems to have vanished.

au1994 said:

Agree on the Traverse. Q7 is no looker but the significant other is considering one to replace her MDX so I'm trying to learn to love it

au1994

I am sure when it is time to talk brass tacks the value for money and excellent service the current MDX has provided will win out. Don't blame her for wanting to investigate something different but in the end I think good sense will win out.

andres3

fintail said:

The Audi ad with a calm and considerate driver comparing himself to a jerky puddle splashing BMW driver is pretty amusing - especially as Audi seems to attract some stereotypical BMW "types".

I found the commercial funny, and in an apparent effort to differentiate an Audi buyer from your typical German car-buying demographic.

I don't really find German car drivers to be bad though, my higher than usual ratio of bad driver offenders come from Toyotas. Toyota drivers seem to be a menace in the streets. Not all of course, but a higher number than usual. Maybe it is because Toyotas are so popular in CA.

fushigi

It's because Toyota became the brand of choice for former Saturn owners. Basically Toyota drivers are the ones who seek appliance vehicles. They don't have any passion for the act of driving. They're also the reason that Toyota doesn't have to have class-leading vehicles to get segment-leading (or nearly so) sales.

stever

Ha, you never saw me do years of 180° power slides to the curb in front of my house in my '82 Tercel. (Long winters helped, and yeah, I do miss hand brakes).

fintail

Toyota drivers have more bad drivers because there are more Toyotas in many areas than other cars - if x% of drivers are bad, more of them will be in Toyotas. Combine that with the brand appealing to those who don't care about driving, the lowest common denominator regressing to a mean, and there we go. Whenever I am stuck behind a Prius or Corolla, I pay extra attention, and usually catch something dumb or just slow.

In Canada, I see there is a new set of Toyota ads featuring real owners, and they are as painful as the ones from the US a few years ago (Canada always seems to be following in some areas). Doesn't make me want to buy one, I will say that. Cars for people who don't like cars, or driving, or paying attention.

In my area, definitely a minority of BMWs are sold with the turn signal option package, and I think the local Audi dealer also deletes that option when ordering their fleet, too.

andres3 said:

".

I found the commercial funny, and in an apparent effort to differentiate an Audi buyer from your typical German car-buying demographic.

I don't really find German car drivers to be bad though, my higher than usual ratio of bad driver offenders come from Toyotas. Toyota drivers seem to be a menace in the streets. Not all of course, but a higher number than usual. Maybe it is because Toyotas are so popular in CA.

andres3

fushigi said:

It's because Toyota became the brand of choice for former Saturn owners. Basically Toyota drivers are the ones who seek appliance vehicles. They don't have any passion for the act of driving. They're also the reason that Toyota doesn't have to have class-leading vehicles to get segment-leading (or nearly so) sales.

To be fair they did earn a reputation and perception of flawless or near flawless 6 figure mileage runners that wouldn't require any fixings for a long, long time. Cheap to own, cheap to maintain, or in other words, easy to maintain. They also are typically comfy, soft, quiet, and cushy. They typically have good drivetrains as well, you could have a near 270 HP Camry way back in 2006 or so.

fushigi

Certainly the cars are fine as far as they go. Overall they're cheap enough to operate & reliable enough that a significant percentage of Chicago taxis are Camry Hybrids & Priuseseses. My point, though, is more about the average Toyota buyer, the demographics they attract, than the vehicles.

To be honest I don't put much stock in the 100K figure. Since the mid-80s I've only had 2 cars that didn't sail past 100K miles. A Mercury Topaz (comfortable but horribly unreliable) and a Camry.(AT failed at 62K miles). Even the Renault Alliance my dad gave me made it to 137K (though it was falling apart by then).

Michaell

fushigi said:

It's because Toyota became the brand of choice for former Saturn owners. Basically Toyota drivers are the ones who seek appliance vehicles. They don't have any passion for the act of driving. They're also the reason that Toyota doesn't have to have class-leading vehicles to get segment-leading (or nearly so) sales.

That may be true in general, but as the (former) owner of 4 Saturns, Toyota was never on our radar when we moved on to a newer car.

The Vue was traded in for a Mazda CX-7, the L300 was traded in for a MINI and our ION was "gifted" to my step son and his wife and is still going strong with 120K on the clock.

fushigi

Just our anecdotal observations. Saturn drivers around here were by and large not likely to lead any packs. "Born to be mild" if you will. Obviously it doesn't apply to all (though certainly to my friend's wife ). Heck, I've even seen Prius drivers who go WOT from most lights (though they are by far the exception).

kyfdx

It's not Toyotas that I dislike, so much... It's Toyota dealers..

carnaught

Buick commercials playing march music, and highlighting an old lady, car valet and others who can't believe they're looking at, or are in, a Buick....hmmm. Slightly irritating, but effective advertising?

fezo

I'm with you on Toyota dealers. I've bought a total of one vehicle from a Toyota dealer and that was because the used car sales manager was a friend of mine (well, he still is a friend; he just doesn't work there anymore). We had our choice of black Camrys (Camries?). Same year one was a lower mileage SE and the other a higher mileage XLE. If I'd pulled my "hear, dear you'll love this" we'd have bought the SE but instead I did the "well, you'll be driving it; pick what you like." Oh, well.

On Buick. There's a certain irony with me and Buick. For years they wanted to lower their buyers age and I'd have loved to find one that spun my chair. They were perfectly fine but in no way compelling. Too bad. I have a lot of emotional attachment to Buick. Now they are finally making things that I wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen in I'd be raising the average driver's age if I bought one.

stickguy

Fez, Bill moved on from the Hyundai dealer? I think of him every time I pass by on the GSP heading to NY.

Is he still in the business, just elsewhere?

qbrozen

i think he's still with hyundai

fezo

He left Hyundai and was working Jersey City Ford - Lincoln. I can't vouch for him still being there. I'll check.

Funny thing. I assume he just gets happy feet because when you call a place he used to work they talkabout how great he is. He's a fun guy to hang with. Born the day I turned 24.

Mr_Shiftright

"The Vue was traded in for a Mazda CX-7, the L300 was traded in for a MINI "....

Frying pan, meet fire

fintail

Saw the Chevy "this is a BMW/Infiniti/Lexus/MB" ad last night, it's still a thing.

roadburner

A moronic thing...

fintail

I notice none said that it looked/felt like a Cadillac.

odie6l

The new 4Runner commercial is pretty good. "I'm immune to poison." LOL

Odie

https://youtu.be/LF9_5LL2zsE

fintail

That is pretty funny. The frightful maw on that 4Runner could scare the poison away, too.

In my area, Chevy is still running the "just like a Range Rover" themed dopeyness, too.

odie6l

fintail said:

That is pretty funny. The frightful maw on that 4Runner could scare the poison away, too.

I actually like the rugged look of the SR5 over that of the Limited Chrome Bar across the middle. At least the 4Runner is staying with a truck based style / underbody rather than changing to the steroid induced minivans that the other SUV's have become.

Odie

kyfdx

Just about my favorite car commercial.

stickguy

New Mazda ad for the Miata is nice. Shows a guy starting out with an old one,mother growing up through the model range, and finally getting a new Miata once he is successful.

slorenzen

I dunno, I just can't get enough of those "bold" Camry commercials...

roadburner

I keep seeing Casper Milquetoast trundling along five under the limit in his new XE mumbling "I'm BOLD- Toyota says so!!!"

au1994

stickguy said:

New Mazda ad for the Miata is nice. Shows a guy starting out with an old one,mother growing up through the model range, and finally getting a new Miata once he is successful.

I like that one too. Cars are supposed to inspire emotion and that ad does.

robr2

stickguy said:

New Mazda ad for the Miata is nice. Shows a guy starting out with an old one,mother growing up through the model range, and finally getting a new Miata once he is successful.

You mean finally getting a new Miata once he hit his mid-life crisis.

robr2

Honda HR-V commercial - "Great Things Inside"

https://youtu.be/c39ARQR0LS4

fintail

The HR-V ad shows me Honda was once pretty interesting, then the tall wagon thing reared its head.

fintail

True, at least it didn't evolve like the Pathfinder.

odie6l said:

I actually like the rugged look of the SR5 over that of the Limited Chrome Bar across the middle. At least the 4Runner is staying with a truck based style / underbody rather than changing to the steroid induced minivans that the other SUV's have become.

Odie

roadburner

I had a 1993 Pathfinder- a great SUV with true off-road ability. That said, the Xterra PRO-4X is a very nice truck.

fintail

Today, the Pathy is a butch minivan, bravely finding paths between suburban tract housing developments and shopping malls.

roadburner

fintail said:

Today, the Pathy is a butch minivan, bravely finding paths between suburban tract housing developments and shopping malls.

Worthless to me, in other words...

fintail

The Lexus "guy takes off shirt to fix a woman's broken faucet and gets chased out" ad is painful. Not just for the lame premise, but for the ad - it's an ad for a cheap lease on the IS250, and shows the car taking off with engine roar and squeal. I have my doubts that the tepid IS250, especially in AWD form, can even break traction. Dubbed noises are lame even for a this brand.