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

1…2021232526…167

Comments

  • svevarsvevar Member Posts: 160
    The sad thing is, some idiot would probably try to run their Jeep underwater and drown. Then his family would sue Chrysler for millions and win. In showing the disclaimer, Chrysler's just protecting itself from those lawsuit-crazy among us...
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,353
    I just saw that Lexus ad last night. It *is* a '53 Skylark convertible in the driveway... and a very nice one at that. Probably worth $75K or more. I find the ad both stupid and offensive. Sort of like taking the blanket off your baby to protect the faux-Benzmobile. Ridiculous.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    I agree ab348 - that's a dumb ad.
  • porknbeansporknbeans Member Posts: 465
    I just saw the new add for the MB E-Class which has a spin from the new Men in Black movie that it appears in.

    Pretty car, cheesy add. It looks like the paint is about 4 feet deep because of the high gloss polish finish on the car, very nice.
    Porknbeans

    Grand High Poobah
    The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
  • brizeybrizey Member Posts: 48
    I read somewhere (sorry, can't remember where) that the shine on cars in car commercials are digitally enhanced. They have been enhanced in print ads for decades.
  • speedshiftspeedshift Member Posts: 1,598
    Annoying: the ad where two yuppies bomb around in their Acura(?) while a cable installer cools his heels at their house. That's funny?

    Misguided: Using a '59 as a symbol of Cadillac's good old days. A '49 would have been better, back when they had some the best engineering around. But the music is good and it's the real thing, not a cover.

    Good: Mitsubishi ads. Quickie music videos.
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Yeah, the Acura ad is kind of disgusting. Poor behavior should be left to the Benz types...
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    Yeah, I hate that one too. It's for the RL. "I always wanted to say that. huh huh huh!"

    The only good Acura ad is the MDX one where the guy is making excuses for not going to work. "I'm in traction!" I found that pretty funny.
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    There is a series of two ads running for the Honda Pilot SUV.

    1) A dogsledder is sledding across the arctic. Up comes a silver Pilot, flashing it headlights twice. It signals to pass (unusual for a SUV driver) like in a highway situation. The Pilot driver looks at the dogsledder as he passes, gives a look, drives off and signals back into the "lane" it was originally driving in. "The new Pilot, from HONDA" says the voiceover. (Haven't we seen this dogsledder/SUV thing in a Highlander commercial once?)
    All in all a collective dud. IMHO.

    2) A guy and his two sons come back from riding their ATVs in the desert. They hop into the Pilot all dirty and grungy, dirt on their teeth, hands, and all over the body. The father presses the NAV system button and leaves a dirty fingerprint. And then it shows the pilot driving off, with ATVs in tow. Again "The new Pilot, from HONDA" ends the commercial. Somewhat humorous.
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    Those stupid Toyota "red tag" sale ads with that "Arliss" guy from HBO are back! I don't know if these are local (I'm in CT) or not, but man are they bad!
  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    SUV ads in general are usually dumb, because they try to emphasize the "off road adventure" aspect that maybe only 2 or 3 out of 100 SUV buyers actually use.

    I like the CR-V ads because they basically spoof the other SUV ads, especially the Xterra ads.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    What I think is dumb is that in Honda CRV ads, they make fun of the typical "outdoors adventure" SUV commericials, then turn around and do those types of commericials with the Honda Pilot.
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Kev has a point. What is up with Honda-Acura advertising? ugh.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    well I actually liked the point of the CRV ads, but it comes off hypocritical when you roll out those Pilot ads.
  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    Yep, I agree. The CR-V ads are funny because they poke fun at the typical SUV ad, but then the Pilot ad is another stereotypical SUV "outdoor adventure" farce.
  • brizeybrizey Member Posts: 48
    ...defending the ridiculous "sometime between 8:00 and 12:00" scehduling that cable/phone/dish/etc. installation companies seem to all adhere to?
  • speedshiftspeedshift Member Posts: 1,598
    That's not the point.

    When I see that ad I realize that the installer has as much control over his company's scheduling policy as I do over U.S. foreign policy. It's like someone in France refusing to serve me because of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

    I also understand that the installer is just some poor [non-permissible content removed] trying to make his way through life. He doesn't need a dose of attitude from a couple of immature elitists.
  • speterson1speterson1 Member Posts: 228
    Last night I once again saw an ad that just makes me roll my eyes in disbelief -- the one for the Hyundai Sonata where it drives through the small European village and everyone in the entire village gets such a charge out of just SEEING it that they all begin to follow it like a pack of rodents following some kind of automotive Pied Piper. Good grief, who does Hyundai think they are? I can see a car getting that kind of reaction if it was a Ferrari or Lambo or something exotic, but a Sonata?!?! Please. What a silly ad.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    I've seen that ad as well. Isn't the music in the background from "Thick as a Brick" by Jethro Tull?
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    Are always on the radio and they always end with some guy talking so fast that you can't understand a word he says. My rule of thumb is, if they gotta talk that fast, then the deal ain't that great.
  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    Yep, I agree - if they have the guy at the end talking at a million words per hour, I figure everything they said previous to that is probably all pure B.S. That is a huge "turn-off" in advertising, at least in my book.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    *The opinions of Mach does not represent the opinions of this station nor the auto manufacturer and licensed auto dealer. Offer not valid in Hawaii or Alaska. See your local dealer for details.*
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    no sh*t
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    must be something wrong with my Internet Explorer install. Your "i" didn't show up right in your last post.

    ;-)
  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    I like the ones where they talk about some great rebate or finance deal, then they finish up the ad with the fast talker saying "offer not valid on EX, DX, GX, or any other model you would actually want to buy, not all customers will qualify for low rates, offer not valid on the third Friday of the month if there is a full moon".

    Like I said above, if you need a 'fast-talker' at the end of the ad, it TOTALLY undermines any credibility you were trying to build in the ad. It's very counter-productive, IMO.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...are worse. The "fast talker" at the end of the commercial describes side-effects that are even worse than the disease for which the drug is supposed to treat. For example:

    "someminorsideeffectssuchasheartattackstrokeordeathmayoccur"
  • lancerfixerlancerfixer Member Posts: 1,284
    ...the piece of music used in the recent Jetta ad featuring the guy rushing to get to the wedding?
  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    Good point, Lemko! LOL!

    After hearing some of those ads for prescription drugs, you think, geez I'm better off not even taking it!
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Better than the placebo effect.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    I have the CD that has that song on it. It is by J. Ralph, but I think is sold under the name SPY. The CD is "Music to Mauzner by". The song is "one million miles" if I remember correctly. Awesome song. Here's a link to Barnes and Nobles page for it.


    http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?ean=75678313523

  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    just looked at the link I gave you, and it doesn't seem to have that song on it. Maybe mine was a special edition that had that song as the first track. Let me see if I can't turn it up for you.

    *Amazon has it with that track listed.

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000I3ZW/103-3425170-7666260
  • lancerfixerlancerfixer Member Posts: 1,284
    Amazon doesn't have it available to listen, but the rest of the CD sounds much different than that one track. I may have to break my three song rule and pick that one up.
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    Tend to be 10 seconds of talking about the benefits and 45 seconds devoted to the side effects. My favorite is "Ambien"...who would want to take a sleeping medication that may cause diarrhea? Ugh...disgusting thought.
  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    They continue to mention the entire product line. I would love to see DC offer ads on specific vehicles.
  • tincup47tincup47 Member Posts: 1,508
    Are required by law. The Drug companies have to list possible side effects if they want to advertise their prescription products. Anytime you advertise a lease or consumer credit rate on a purchase, you also have to put a disclaimer listing the terms and conditions to qualify. They use fast talkers because it costs money to advertise and the legal requirement does not help sell the product, hence getting it out of the way ASAP.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    I think we are aware that the disclaimers are required by law. The reason that they are required is because of some truth in advertising or lending clause. The fact is that marketers pump promotions and products up beyond reality and the legal department is then required to make it real. So you get smooth and easy BS for 25 seconds and then 5 seconds of denial that is barely legible or audible.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...the offer is only to those with Tier I credit. Trouble is, those to whom such an offer would look good do not have Tier I credit.
  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    maltb - that is exactly what I hate - the first 28 seconds of the ad is full of BS that is all negated by the last 2 seconds of the "fast-talker".

    It's like the old saying .... everything before the word "but" is a lie... "I really like that job you did today, but...."
  • machiavellimachiavelli Member Posts: 260
    If they would be a little more honest in the first 28 seconds, they wouldn't need the "fast talker" to clean up the damage in the last 2 seconds.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    when they advertise the price, using the absolute cheapest version with nothing on it, yet show the most expensive version the make of it. Like advertising how low of a price you can get into a Mustang for (cough - v6, stick, no radio, lawnchairs for seats) yet show a SVT Cobra Mustang doing burnouts. That kind of crap.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    That's why I liked the first Neon ads. The voiceover gave the base price, and added, "around fifteen thousand, nicely equipped." Very appealing.

    And the Neon TV ad where it drove past a cornfield and popped all the kernels (presumably because it was such a hot car) was exceptional, a real classic.
  • svevarsvevar Member Posts: 160
    I hate those new DCX ads where they credit the Germans for improving Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep quality. It annoys me that they take past American accomplishments (eg: landing on the moon) and point out the contributions of Germans (who fled the [non-permissible content removed] regime). Also, I'd like to see the word "DaimlerChrysler" used in a Mercedes ad...
  • beachnutbeachnut Member Posts: 291
    Stopping by to say it's about time Mazda got some decent commercials, like the one with Blondie grooving in the background. The little tie-clad kid's got nothing on Debbie Harry!
    (well, maybe a few years ... )
  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Well, the "synergy" ad (as I call it) does show the Figure-8 of Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep products together. But you're right, Mercedes and DaimlerChrysler are separate names in the advertising... first means luxury, second means
    "the American division of that German conglomerate."
  • svevarsvevar Member Posts: 160
    Has anyone seen that Lexus GS300/400 ad with that "cloud man" breathing his wind upon the land? It really upsets me, though I don't really know why. All Toyota and Lexus ads should be banned...
  • 3871338713 Member Posts: 26
    I hate the snobby butler-like narrator in the Lexus commercials.
  • seminole_kevseminole_kev Member Posts: 1,696
    actually I like the "cloud man" commercial. I cannot stand most of the other Lexus ads because it pushes more image than product. But the "cloud man" commercial is at least different than there other, lame commercials.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    On Philadelphia TV, they are running some Toyota ads with Phils' catcher Mike Lieberthal and Flyers' center Jeremy Roenick. The ads are only mildly amusing, but they hold my interest because I'm a sports fan and these two players are likeable.

    And I like Robert Wuhl (I think that's the actor's name - Arliss?) in national Toyota ads. The commercials are silly, but I think he is one of the few name actors who can pull that off - smiling his way through silly commercials.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,673
    Like many VW commercials the one with the guy talking about the duties of his navigator /co-driver is a good one, fits the "drivers wanted" theme perfectly.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • verozahlverozahl Member Posts: 574
    Ads (not commercials) for Mercury with Elena Ford are... not working, eh?
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.