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

ab348

I agree, PF. Those Chevy ads are just really bad. Probably in my top 5 for car commercials right now. The others would include any Nissan ad, Ford Canada who have fallen into the Nissan CGI morass, some of Jeep's recent ads, and Honda Canada's Civic hatch ads.

fintail

On Canadian TV, I like the new trick of advertising weekly payments in car ads, to lure people in with low numbers. I remember ages ago, it went from monthly to bi-weekly, now weekly is the thing. I've never seen that here. Next up, daily payments. It kind of gives me the rent to own furniture vibe.

PF_Flyer

One ad that always tickled me was for the Plymouth Duster where "Momma" was talking about the "torsion barbers for the superspension". Can't find that one online, but here's another from the series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9WgXgt86QM

stickguy

Yeah, not quite PC today. Looks like my yellow duster, just without the rust. Or the girl. Mine was a 73 I think.

qbrozen

Mr_Shiftright said:

There's some truth to that but it can backfire. On my local sports station, they air a commercial called "Cars for Kids", and it has this mind-numbing jingle that sticks on you skull like a crazed monkey.

The station has actually gotten death threats about this---LOL!

We have that one, too! My brain explodes and I can't change the station fast enough!

imidazol97

I had to look up the commercial here. It's Kars4kids and there's a YouTube copy. As soon st started playing I remembered it. Now all the comments fit. It's a tune that's hard to forget! I got dirty looks ìt startrd playing. I'm in a doctor's waiting room.
the visuals of the kid band and the grins are hard to erase. I'd post the link but I haven't done that on my cell.

stickguy

I might forget my own phone number on occasion, but I will never forget the he K4Ks phone number.

fintail

Another "exciting" Camry ad this morning. Also a fun Audi one touting "sign and drive" for the Q5, but not giving any numbers. As Audis historically don't lease particularly well, maybe it's $1200/month for a base/"premium" model.

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

I might forget my own phone number on occasion, but I will never forget the he K4Ks phone number.

K4K gets a pretty bad rating on Charity Navigator.

fintail

Saw a commercial this morning for the "aggressively innovative" Highlander. Really? I guess in this new golden age of hyperbole via alternative facts, it works.

sda

Has Honda started doing commercials for the new '17 CR-V? I haven't seen any on TV. Perhaps they are selling so well they don't need to. Local inventory at the Honda dealers is low, typically 4-8 in stock.

andres3

fintail said:

Another "exciting" Camry ad this morning. Also a fun Audi one touting "sign and drive" for the Q5, but not giving any numbers. As Audis historically don't lease particularly well, maybe it's $1200/month for a base/"premium" model.

Maybe trying on the if you have to ask, you can't afford it approach?

fintail

That'll take them far, as the Q5 ages without a significant refresh. Or maybe they are keeping the deal as a surprise

I saw the Highlander ad again today, I misspoke, it is "aggressively sophisticated". I seriously think some of the spokesthings for the current regime are writing this stuff.

andres3 said:

Maybe trying on the if you have to ask, you can't afford it approach?

fintail

Something different: a MB CPO radio commercial, on later Friday night on an AM station that plays real oldies (like big band stuff).

berri

Big band music - doing Prussian march tunes

fintail

I don't know if that demographic is too big anymore

The ad said something like "you've always noticed the classic look of MBs", which is a good line, if any brand can use heritage-themed advertising, it's MB.

fintail

I am surprised it took this long for a quality parody:

https://youtu.be/xTfS0nAgfuE

The same person also has a Cruze/emoji themed one that's a little mean/harsh, one can find it themselves if they wish, as it may offend

ab348

That's hilarious, especially the section with Siri. That's exactly what I get when I try to use it.

fintail

Another funny development, Some of the real people? not! actors have been discovered to actually be actors

ab348

I couldn't get past the part where he compares a pickup truck to a bicycle.

fintail

It's almost like the Chevy spots are competing with the Toyota trumpian hyperbole spots for the worst ad campaigns of the century. Combine "real people" with the "exciting" "aggressive" "bold" Toyotas, and it's awe-inspiring.

fintail

I see Audi's SB ad has caused ire among a certain somewhat bitter set. No such thing as bad publicity.

The Alfa ad with a slight heritage theme was amusing in how it skips from an early glass covered headlight Duetto to nearly today - nearly 50 years of history ignored. Why? Oh.

sda

The guy running up to the white Chevy truck to give it a hug or whatever, really?

ab348

fintail said:

I see Audi's SB ad has caused ire among a certain somewhat bitter set. No such thing as bad publicity.

I didn't see the point. I'm all for equity and presume they practice what they preach but I'm not sure why they are advertising about it unless they got caught doing something wrong like their parent did.

I never saw TV ads for Alfa until yesterday. They have a massive hill to climb here in N.A.

fintail

Maybe Audi is trying to differentiate itself from the parent. Still kind of amuses me that a lot of keyboard warriors are complaining about it. The same people who complain about the safe space/snowflake set is as easily triggered as the ones they complain about. I also notice the "I'll never buy another Audi" line being used by that group - all I can say to them is pics or it didn't happen, they never owned an Audi.

The Honda yearbook ad is also pretty funny.

The Chevy truck hug/"real people? not! actors" is yet another cringer. Also amusing that it touts 5 special edition models - if there are 5 of them, it's not so special.

kyfdx

With Alfa sponsoring the half-time show, I put their marketing bill for the Super Bowl and about $20K per vehicle sold in the US.

Mr_Shiftright

The Audi ad was cringeworthy because it brings up an inherent flaw in a lot of advertising--that the authors of the commercial don't really believe it, the people it is directed to don't believe it, and the people who object to the message actually believe that the target audience does believe it.

So everybody loses. Advertising at its worst.

fintail

I thought the touchy-feely stuff worked. Does anyone believe "love" makes a Subaru?

Mr_Shiftright

Any day now I'm expecting a TV commercial tagline:

"Remember, love dies, but possessions are forever".

fintail

I am surprised higher maintenance brands don't sell with "Live a little - you can't take it with you!". Or maybe more car related "Hearses don't have luggage racks"

Mr_Shiftright

How about marketing to the very old that way? "You don't have much time left, so enjoy it in your new 2017......"

ab348

fintail said:

Maybe Audi is trying to differentiate itself from the parent. Still kind of amuses me that a lot of keyboard warriors are complaining about it. The same people who complain about the safe space/snowflake set is as easily triggered as the ones they complain about. I also notice the "I'll never buy another Audi" line being used by that group - all I can say to them is pics or it didn't happen, they never owned an Audi.,

A rebuttal of sorts on the Audi ad here: https://bold.global/carrie-l-lukas/2017/02/04/audis-super-bowl-commercial-sends-misleading-message-girls-america/

The Honda yearbook ad is also pretty funny.

I didn't pay much attention to the Honda ad when it aired. I am so out of touch with current-day celebrities that I never know who they are anyway. There were a few other celeb ads during the game that went right over my head for the same reason, like the one for some water product.

The Chevy truck hug/"real people? not! actors" is yet another cringer. Also amusing that it touts 5 special edition models - if there are 5 of them, it's not so special.

Yeah. Those Chevy ads are all so bad that I wonder why they haven't moved on from the concept.

I'm reminded of the Jerry Seinfeld line about the Ford LTD - "It's LIMITED all right, limited to the number we can sell..."

sda

Or SNL making fun of the smooth riding Mercury Marquis commercial of a jeweler cutting a diamond while riding in the back seat...SNL had a doctor performing a circumcision on a child while riding in the back seat of the not so smooth riding Marquis. Too funny

fintail

Interesting rebuttal link, but like with everything, the source has its own bias - when I read "free markets" and "liberty", I reach for my wallet. The "law of the land" rebuttal against Audi's point is tenuous, something being law doesn't mean it is actually practiced, or punished when broken. No doubt Audi is shamelessly pandering to a demographic, but I would rather call out that bit alone. Right now, I see some offended just as much as the snowflake set.

For Chevy, I suspect maybe they paid the ad agency a substantial fortune up front, and don't want to lose out on their initial investment, no matter how the product is mocked. I have yet to see any positive impressions of that ad campaign. Limited editions are always a bad sign, hinting at sales desperation or an outgoing model.

ab348 said:

A rebuttal of sorts on the Audi ad here: https://bold.global/carrie-l-lukas/2017/02/04/audis-super-bowl-commercial-sends-misleading-message-girls-america/


Yeah. Those Chevy ads are all so bad that I wonder why they haven't moved on from the concept.

I'm reminded of the Jerry Seinfeld line about the Ford LTD - "It's LIMITED all right, limited to the number we can sell..."

fintail

The bris car was the "Royal Deluxe II", based on what appears to be the short run downsized Mercury Cougar sedan. I cant find a video of it, here's a pic:



One of my all time favorite SNL commercial parodies is the Adobe:

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/adobe/n9492?snl=1

sda said:

Or SNL making fun of the smooth riding Mercury Marquis commercial of a jeweler cutting a diamond while riding in the back seat...SNL had a doctor performing a circumcision on a child while riding in the back seat of the not so smooth riding Marquis. Too funny

fintail

Or "this might be your last new car, make it a good one!", although that might be a bit direct

Mr_Shiftright said:

How about marketing to the very old that way? "You don't have much time left, so enjoy it in your new 2017......"

Mr_Shiftright

I've seen the Italian version of the Adobe---Il Bondo.

sda

fintail said:

The bris car was the "Royal Deluxe II", based on what appears to be the short run downsized Mercury Cougar sedan. I cant find a video of it, here's a pic:



One of my all time favorite SNL commercial parodies is the Adobe:

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/adobe/n9492?snl=1

sda said:

Or SNL making fun of the smooth riding Mercury Marquis commercial of a jeweler cutting a diamond while riding in the back seat...SNL had a doctor performing a circumcision on a child while riding in the back seat of the not so smooth riding Marquis. Too funny

Thanks for finding that, I was going from memory and it is feeble.

andres3

I didn't think much of the Audi commercial 5 minutes after it aired. It was good at grabbing your attention, and keeping it, and was one of those "what the hell are you advertising" commercials where you find out during the last few seconds who paid for the commercial. I'm neutral on it. Don't see why there's all that much buzz in either direction.

PF_Flyer

Got an email from a dealer suggesting something for Valentine's Day that obviously is trying to get me dead

stickguy

Well, the prices are good!

PF_Flyer

stickguy said:

Well, the prices are good!

But not enough to overcome the expectation of a card/flowers/dinner...LOL

Mr_Shiftright

"OH, honey, an Oil Change. How romantic!" LOL!

Michaell

Mr_Shiftright said:

"OH, honey, an Oil Change. How romantic!" LOL!

I think I'd be sleeping in said car if I were to try that.

Mr_Shiftright

Obviously an ad written by a young bachelor.

PF_Flyer

Mr_Shiftright said:

Obviously an ad written by a young bachelor.

A young bachelor on his way to becoming an old bachelor

stickguy

I bought my 2 dozen roses today. Already in case on table. Some I'm safe!

PF_Flyer

Yep, Flowers and card just waiting for her to get home. I'll save the oil changes for when I'm in real trouble

qbrozen

I gotta stop on the way home tonight.

roadburner

I bought my bride a BMW i jacket...