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

ateixeira

Boy, you sure don't live in the DC area.

A neighbor's Hummer got vandalized when gas prices spiked.

Young NGO members can get more than a little carried away.

ateixeira

You keep saying Lexus owners hate cars yet here's a source that says they opposite - they're actually the most satisfied. Bland/stale cars fall at the bottom of the survey.

You keep tossing out stereotypes and opinions, but never facts or sources.

ateixeira

Too soon - because Lexus is really the last luxury brand to be launched in the USA. Acura came in, what 1986? Lexus and Infiniti came in 1990.

Since then there haven't really been any solid entries. Mazda thought about it with Amati. Hyundai thought about it with Genesis. But nope.

That makes Lexus still (tied for) the youngest lux brand. A heritage commercial for the youngest brand?

Why would the leadership stop high prestige cars from being made?

You misunderstood - they have the low volume F series models, and surely that will expand.

What I mean is let the division have influence on mainstream Sport packages. For the IS350, non-F. GS also.

xrunner2

Isn't this board supposed to be about car commercials? Minder, wake up.

stever

Gee, I just dropped a reminder in here at 11 am or so.

Maybe if you post about a commercial, it'll divert everyone. :shades:

xrunner2

Steve----Are you the host of this mostly non-commercial car board?

stever

Yep, me and Claires. We handle all of News & Views.

xrunner2

I would like to see commercials of Mercedes showing people going to the country club with golf bags in the trunk, or two couples going to a fancy restaurant, etc. Nobody I know thinks that stupid commercials of Mercedes sliding around on sand, in dry lake bed makes any sense at all. Apparently, and being from Chicago area and Mike Ditka, the marketting people at some of these car companies are like the inmates taking over the insane asylum.

fintail

Yes, I live in the real world

Although driving a Hummer is of debatable intelligence. Doesn't deserve vandalism though (which should be met with self-defense), just ridicule.

Either way, some boring old LS or similar would have flown under the radar of the idiots.

fintail

They like their Lexus, not cars. They are not the same thing. Camry drivers tend to love their cars too - most are hardly enthusiasts however. An ES is almost the anti-car, I suspect the HS is even less lively.

What kind of "fact" or "source" do you want? Be specific.

stever

Specifically, y'all are off topic.

Unless your source is a commercial.

fintail

Over 20 years ago. Almost a generation. It could fly. Youngest, but not young. An ad showing the first SC, LS, etc.

All of the competition has mainstream sport packages and they all sell in droves, the leadership is pretty stupid to not allow it on their cars. But maybe they know the vanilla ice milk customer won't care. Imagine an ES with F trim, might be funny.

fintail

Sadly, images of old people going to old people locations don't sell cars. Class really doesn't sell either - probably hasn't since the old jewelry themed Caddy ads of the 50s.

The MB dusty lake bed commercial is a joke, a parody.

ateixeira

I am the specific one, who uses sources, links, real-world examples, etc.

I want you to be specific. Your attemps at ridicule are purposely vague and subjective.

vanilla ice milk customer

Perfect example. Vanilla Ice drives a European car, though. LOL

Source: some TV show about home renovations. I won't name it because you never use sources, so why should I?

PS DIY Network has tons of car ads, though I imagine you're more likely to see Mike Rowe pitching Ford trucks vs. cheesy washed up rappers pitching European cars they always seem to own

lemko

I dunno. I loved those old jewelry-themed Cadillac ads.

fushigi

What ever happened to the Royal Deluxe II? It was advertised based on a smooth ride. :P

http://www.hulu.com/watch/2323/saturday-night-live-royal-deluxe-ii

xrunner2

Sadly, images of old people going to old people locations don't sell cars.

Anyone that plays golf, and/or watches it on tv, knows that the game appeals to all ages. The golfers in major tournaments are mostly 20's, 30's.

Most people can relate to common sense everyday experiences as well as aspirational messages. Those in modest homes today and moving up in salaries, compensation can see themselves in a larger home, nice landscaping with a luxury or near lux auto in the setting completing the picture. Cars kicking up dust relates to nothing in either their day-to-day routines or aspirational goals.

tallman1

Cars kicking up dust relates to nothing in either their day-to-day routines or aspirational goals.

Since when does advertising relate to everyday life?

-Pick-up trucks don't pull trailers up ramps of fire.
-People don't really stock their refrigerators with nothing but beer.
-Geckos don't really talk.
-And, sadly, hundreds of women won't chase you if you put on a certain after-shave.

The Benz commercial is taking a product with a reputation for luxury for the wealthy and making it look more adventurous and fun. The added touch of the stuffy lawyers completes the irony.

The point is that we wouldn't be talking about MB if it was golfers and nicely landscaped homes. Advertising is all about making a product stand out... even if we might think it is silly.

So for this commercial, put me down for "good" while you and others here will vote for "bad" or "annoying".

fintail

What qualifies as a source? What specifics were ever relevant to this discussion anyway? I aired my view that Lexus drivers aren't car enthusiasts, and that the brand is painfully boring. As a Toyota owner, that must have struck a nerve. Keep wanting, but in this case, you won't get what you want. Demanding "proof" of such material is ridiculous. Put your money where your mouth is and buy a Lexus, or move on.

Vanilla ice milk - the bland equivalent to ice cream, or maybe "wintergreen" flavor (thank you Ned Flanders) if the Lexus buyer puts the F package on his base model IS :shades:

Who "seems to own" Lexus then? I mostly see useless unemployed women who married rich, fat old white men, and spoiled irresponsible new resident satellite children. I'll take the washed up rapper!

fintail

They were classy, maybe what some of the more sensitive here would like to see:







Looks like they liked furs, too

fintail

I think the fact that the spot has aired for many months now makes it "good" in the eyes of the marketplace. It's meant to be funny. MB doesn't always take its haughty NA image seriously. I bet it works.

fintail

A big seller on Lawn Guyland, or so I've heard :shades:

And the Adobe was sold on affordability, the first car to break the $200 price barrier!

stever

Those in modest homes today and moving up in salaries, compensation can see themselves in a larger home, nice landscaping with a luxury or near lux auto in the setting completing the picture.

Man, did I ever flunk life. :P

ateixeira

I'm with you.

Anyone who thinks ads relating to Golf don't work should take a peek at recent Buick sales. They're through the roof.

Claires

Folks, I swept out a few off-topic posts to make room in case someone wants to post something about car commercials.

ateixeira

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/31/gm-responds-to-nissan-leaf-gas-powered-everyt- hing-ad-w-video/

Claires

Anyone else think even the music resembles the Chrysler 200/Eminem super bowl ad?

Jalopnik does.
http://jalopnik.com/5807531/did-audi-rip-off-eminems-imported-from-detroit-chrys- ler-ad

lemko

Homecoming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JrVCy4aMKM

Chrysler has great commercials nowadays, but the 300 isn't "Imported from Detroit" it's "Imported from Canada, Eh?"

fintail

It's a shameless copy. Will give work to our beloved lawyers.

Makes me want to go back to Berlin, though. Can't say the Chrysler ads evoke similar feelings :shades:

ateixeira

Indeed, I called it. Here's another article:

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/02/watch-the-audi-a6-avant-ad-accused-of-ripping- - -off-chrysler-and-e/

Eminem is the party suing, though, not Chrysler.

ateixeira

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/02/bmw-gets-in-on-the-anti-distracted-driving-cr- usade-w-video/

I love it when the little guy looks up at his dad from the bath tub. Priceless.

loncray

I'm no fan of Chevy or the Camaro, but I saw a Camaro commercial at the movie theater yesterday that made me laugh. It's a dark bedroom with a sleeping guy next to a little dog. The guy stirs and sits upright (still asleep) and moves like he's grabbed a steering wheel and stick shift. He starts making driving noises like a kid would and moving like he's driving spiritedly. What makes the commercial is when the dog sits up on the other side of the bed and sticks his head in front of a fan exactly as if he was in the guy's dream car with him. Cut to a quick shot of a Camaro, then out.

ateixeira

Sounds clever. Haven't seen it, and a quick (not thorough) search on YouTube didn't show it.

Claires

Here ya go: Camaro commercial

ateixeira

Thanks!

Not as well executed as I had hoped.

Does the new Camaro even have a column shift (sleep driver reaches for it)?

fintail

I'm not liking the Acura TL "aggression in its most elegant form" campaign. Sorry marketing sycophants, that car isn't elegant nor aggressive. It was fairly elegant once, but those times are gone.

ateixeira

It's Beak Light design. Only half as bad as before now.

fintail

Sadly still an eyesore compared to what it replaced.

Funny how they had to normalize the design though.

ateixeira

That's common, though. Look at, say, the BMW 7. Bangled up, then the re-do comes out and softens the lines significantly.

It's like an evolutionary apology.

fintail

Well, the F01 7er is a completely new animal after something like 8 years of the Bangled E65/66 which received only a minor update in its lifespan. The facelifted TL came much sooner after heavy derision - more akin to the Subaru Tribeca with the bullnose Saab or Edsel front end that was quickly redone, and still sells at least a dozen a year.

ateixeira

The facelifted TL came much sooner

Did it? Seemed like it took forever.

All I've heard is people referring to "pre-beak Acuras" over and over again.

Let's see, usually a life cycle is 5 years, and a mid-model make-over is done for the 4th year.

2009, 2010, 2011 had the big beak.

2012 gets the light beak.

I dunno, seems like it came on schedule.

I guess for me it seemed like longer because they sell a LOT of Acuras around here.

Ninja Edit: Tribeca was redone for its 3rd year, so indeed that was pushed forward a year from the normal mid cycle refresh.

fintail

You can't say you don't think the TL wasn't redone to tone down the garbagey "styling" a bit. Notice the previous nice looking version didn't get much of any updates at all in its lifespan. It was done right. The fact that aftermarket parts exist to mask the beak says a lot.

Tribeca was redone for the same reason, it was just too weird and hard on the eyes.

ateixeira

It certainly was toned down - for sure.

I'm just saying the process wasn't rushed. It was re-done on the normal schedule for a 5-year life cycle, with a refresh for the 4th year, as usual.

In other words, Acura was stubborn. Perhaps they should have rushed the refresh?

fintail

I think they got a huge ego boost from the success and positive press of the previous model, and believed they could do no wrong - did not want to admit a mistake was made even though sales undoubtedly suffered. A few overpaid execs probably had to be convinced by multiple sources to get the ball rolling.

They didn't have a refresh at all on the previous TL generations either, so I don't know if I would call it normal. I see it as a reaction, not evolution.

ateixeira

Yeah, didn't they just add a Type S model or something?

Seems like they just kept selling more of the same, since the formula worked.

To be honest I didn't pay much attention because back then they didn't even offer AWD.

lemko

The first generation Tribeca reminds me of the Cylon Centurions from the original "Battlestar Gallactica":

ateixeira

It's this guys' fault:



FWIW he's Greek, Andreas Zapatinas.

Bugatti pulled off a similar grille for the Veyron, but when you have over 1000hp you can pretty much pull off any look you want.

fintail

This is what I see with the original Tribeca:

fintail

Yeah, nobody will laud the beauty of the Veyron, although the way overdone interior is interesting.

fintail

That's about it yes, the formula worked because the car was competent on the road and a mix of sporty and elegant styling. The new one, not so much of either, although the tech is several degrees higher.