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

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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Saw a really good one last night - my wife caught it and liked it so much she rewinded it so I could watch it again with her.

    It's for a Volvo XC90, a dad picks up a little girl and she's just talking the whole time. He can't get a word in edgewise, even pauses so he doesn't slam the door while she's talking. Very subtle, but effective. The effect is that you're a parent and you care about your kids and their safety. The child talks so naturally that she really pulls it off.

    Very effective ad. When was the last time you used TiVO to watch an ad, rather than skip it?

    -juice
  • redmaxxredmaxx Member Posts: 627
    With TiVO and the handy "mute" button on most remotes, it's nigh-on impossible to get consumers to watch commercials as it is. If we admonished manufacturers to present ads that ONLY demonstrate a vehicle's real-life capabilities, the ads will be total yawners and placing them will represent a waste of manufacturers' ad dollars.

    Then the problem is with the public getting bored with the commercials 5 seconds after they're over. People's attention spans have become too short (witness any major highway and all the idiots making short-sighted lane changes) and auto manufacturers are just pandering to that, by trying to one up each other. There has got to be a corellation between increased danger in advertising and increased idiocy on the road.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,299
    If a commercial comes out touting airbags, would you say they are promoting unsafe driving behavior...

    I think that's a poor analogy. I have seen responsible ads showing how airbags work to prevent serious injury. These type of commercials do not give one the impression of invincibility.

    But, exaggerate the airbag ads to the extent of the Hyundai Sante FE ESC Slip N Slide ads ... and you would have a Hyundai crashing head first into a locomotive at 80 mph, and the driver of said Hyundai walking away without a scratch. According to you and Kirstie, these type of ads are acceptable.

    As I posted before, I do not believe the capabilities of safety features should be exaggerated or misrepresented. Could a Sante Fe with ESC go down a twisting mountainous road in conditions "similar" to those represented in the Slip N Slide commercial? If the answer is no... then the Hyundai ads are irresponsible and dangerous.
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    Rocky
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    That would be like a car company coming out with a comercial stating "Try out our turn signals, they have been around for years, we just wish people would start using them." Then the manufacturers would start charging $1000 for turn signals even though they are standard equipment.

    Odie
    Odie's Carspace
  • starrow68starrow68 Member Posts: 1,142
    better hope they don't see the GT500 spot I saw while replaying the NASCAR race tonight. Unloading the car in Germany the customs rep or some such asks if there wasn't a car in Germany he would like, and the owner replys that there wasn't a speed limit in the US that he liked. Then not only does it do the autobahn but in the rain, now without stability control that would be insane.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    Did Mr. Opportunity have to come back? I can;t those ads as even as a Honda fan.

    Also having muiple commercials with Dr. Z in them can get a little untolerable after a while. Chrysler was actually getting better with their commercials before the barrage of Dr. Z ads. One Dr Z ad would have been ok but 4 of them?
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "nissan used to have really great commercials in the 90's...hopefully they get back to them (the versa one is a good start i think!)"

    I like Nissan's commercials in the 00's. I do remember Nissan's commercials in the early 90's when they had the theme "Enjoy The Ride" I think at the end of their commercials. I didn't like when they got away from that theme of "Enjoy The Ride" either but that was in the latter part when they got into financial trouble I think.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "It's mildly amusing...I was thinking about why the name is back, as so many people have a negative association with it. But, I realized that for people under 35 or so, the association doesn't exist. It's just a cute old car name."

    I;m 26 years old and I do remember the Rabbit name. However I didn;t know anything about the Rabbit's bad reputation until a few years ago.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "Anyway, given the fact that they are appealing to Gen XYZ (or whatever people late 20s/early 30s are called these days) it might be better to get away from Golf and try something (relativly) new!"

    I'm 26 years old and sometimes people born in between 1976 and 1981 are lableled both Generation X or Y. Even a person born in 1990 is not Generation Z they are Y. I think Generation Z would start with somebody born in 1996 or 1997.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,696
    >the autobahn but in the rain, now without stability control

    But with stability control the autobahn in the rain is insane. Stability control doesn't undo the laws of physics. The traction limit of tires through a half-inch of water isn't going to change because stability control is on the car.

    Last winter a group had chartered buses to near Cleveland. On the way home there had been a frosty, crunchy snowfall on I71. You wouldn't believe the people driving at 65 and you wouldn't believe the number of cars off the road--probably drivers who believed stability control would keep their car going straight down the roadway.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    He also passes a Carrera GT which, since it was being driven by a sensible german driver, they know that in the rain you need to go slow no matter what car you have but in a big HP rwd car you should go even slower.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    That Dodge Caliber commercial with the stuffed animals giving the black Caliber a verbal review is HILARIOUS !! Last few lines paraphrased:

    "Binky, any comments?"

    "It scares the (bleep) out of me."

    "Exactly the reaction we were looking for."

    It's really funny. Doesn't make me want to go buy a Caliber, but I bet there will be some losers who fall for it. :) :shades:
  • starrow68starrow68 Member Posts: 1,142
    "Stability control doesn't undo the laws of physics. The traction limit of tires through a half-inch of water isn't going to change because stability control is on the car."

    I know people love motherhood and apple pie, but so what? The laws of physics don't have anything to do with a system that can brake individual wheels which the driver can't. And, if you have never experienced ESC in the rain when starting to hydroplane it may be you can't conceptualize individual wheel control in bursts only a computer can handle. It isn't about black and white, in this case the system shades over into sanity that the driver may just exceed. And yes the P-GT was showing rational German thinking.
    Then again, I just spent the past weekend with 2 GT 500s on a race track and yes they were rentals from Hertz. Boys from the good old south seem to love being just a little irrational, and you don't have to go to Germany.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's been around for a while.

    Dodge also had one that said "silly little fairy" the became controversial, and they pulled it from some markets (not all, however).

    Dodge also pulled the Lingerie Bowl ads from the Super Bowl, so they're no stranger to controversy.

    I guess they are targeting a niche I call Neanderthal Males.

    -juice
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    They call the stupid little tune you hear in many Dodge ads the "fight song", and if there's any vehicle on the road with overcompensating styling, it's the Ram...so yeah. It's a lame ploy, but overblown machismo can sell.
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    I still like the first Dodge Charger ads...where the guy was lining up against the dragster, beating it and then cut back to reality where he's going through a toll booth.

    I liked the remix of the Nazareth song (nice retro-modern touch), and the Walter Mitty overtones of the ad. Really captured why most people buy cars like this, and a lot more honest than an ad showing a car on a racetrack, implying that this could be you, racing your Camry at Watkins Glen...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    I didn't know so many car ads would be on YouTube...it's amazing what you can find.

    This is probably my favorite car commercial ever

    This one is good too, if anything just for those crash tests that make me cringe at all those good parts being ruined (I like the 'safety steering system' slalom shot)

    MB does the history thing better than anyone

    I am sure some automakers wish they could use such lineage to create ad copy
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    ROFL
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,540
    In that coupe commercial, the late '70s, early '80s model is my favorite Mercedes...

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  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    In the realm of dumb print ads, a local firm does it again - a Ford dealer says "compare with Lexus and Infiniti" in an ad for a certainly strippo 16K-and-change Fusion. Compare with Lexus and Infiniti? And then what? Laugh? Cry? Scream?

    "In that coupe commercial, the late '70s, early '80s model is my favorite Mercedes..."

    If you mean the one the bellbottom wearing woman steps ouf of, you've also picked the most affordable of the ad.
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Guy is at a port, and a Mustang is uncovered from a shipping crate.

    Dockworker with a German accent asks the guy: "Coudn't find a car you like in Germany"?

    Cut to shots of the Mustang at speed on the autobahn, blowing away exotics left and right.

    Guy responds: "No, I couldn't find a speed limit I liked in America".

    Simple and to the point. Also hammers home the fact that we're saddled with dumb speed limits here in the US - at least, on some of our western interstates.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,696
    >Also hammers home the fact that we're saddled with dumb speed limits here in the US - at least, on some of our western interstates.

    My opinion is anyone with a car that powerful who thinks they should drive that fast on rain-slicked roads, I'm glad he's in Germany far from being able to injure people in US.

    Someone in her BMW just ran in the rear of a semi truck on the interstate last night. She probably thought the speed limit was too low.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    I don't disagree with you regarding the rain slicked roads .. I'm sure that the Ford marketing folks thought the effect would be better.

    However, having said that, if the roads are dry and the traffic is light, there isn't any reason not to have higher (but not necessarily unlimited) speed limits on parts of the rural western interstates.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,696
    I don't like high speed limits here in Ohio and East where I've traveled. Having seen Montana pictures and Oprah's Big Wild Trip on tv Monday where she's driving somewhere to LasVegas and how empty the interstate is, I agree a higher speed limit could work for safe, safe drivers.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    The U.S. could easily handle European-style speed limits IF we would go to European-style driver licensing.

    That is, make driving a privilege you have to prove yourself worthy of, not the de facto right it's become. But we all know how likely that is... :(
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Indeed, and go to some Euro style vehicle maintenance/inspection standards too. With better skilled drivers and less unsafe heaps on the road, more speed could be attained. Many European fatality rates aren't much different than those in prudish NA.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Exactly right it costs several thousand dollars to get a license in europe and takes lots of time.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Passion is up there, fin, top 10 easily...

    But Cog is my favorite:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEF0cg1j35o

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Haven't seen that yet. Is it raining in the ad?

    -juice
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    Wet-for-effect roads it looks like (the amount of moisture ads usually use for shots of the car drifting sideways in slow motion)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0PNTlL4NG0

    It's a clever ad, and if the GT500 actually sounds like that...WOW! That blower whine is music to the ears. :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Nice ad ... I think they did it in the rain to add the fishtail effect to make it seem like it was moving quicker than it was.

    At least is has stability control. And even on the busy capital beltway, noone does 55, even in the rain.

    -juice
  • eltonroneltonron Member Posts: 33
    An extremely clever ad. A combination of good cars people actually want to buy and an effective marketing campaign generating excitement about their product line is the shot-in-the-arm that Ford needs in order to turn things around. What confuses me is how Ford could have so severely under-estimated the potential demand for their Mustang re-release.

    Thanks for the link!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    It passes a Porsche Carrera GT. :surprise:

    -juice
  • starrow68starrow68 Member Posts: 1,142
    Just as we see on the freeway, even the Prius can pass what ever it's willing to push for, I see it all the time. Even I've passed a GT3 Cup car on track, and had a great conversation with the young, 30 something, owner about how he was going to feel it out slowly, very smart. Then again, the two GT500-H cars at Sears Point/Infineon Raceway a few weeks ago never did pass my stock 350hp C5 on street tires with two guys from GA that felt they were experienced track drivers. And then again, anything is possible on video!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, my buddy Mike Smith took his Legacy station wagon (165hp, before the turbos) to the track, and in the arms of an instructor they passed a Ferrari Testarossa. :D

    -juice
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Probably a pretty stupid idea for an ad
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,540
    That is a pretty good argument for corporate ownership of car dealers.

    One guy at the top that thinks he is a comedian..

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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    We firmly believe the ad does not in any way disrespect any religion or culture

    That is the dumbest thing I've read in quite a long time...

    -juice
  • i_luv_toyotai_luv_toyota Member Posts: 350
    ..is AWN (on)!

    My lord I see these every commercial break. Definately an OFF/MUTE button special!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Cool ad...kind of overstates the ability of these mall cruisers, but nice graphics no less
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    LOL

    Rocky
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,696
    That has to be the dumbest message I've seen in a long time in an ad. Cool graphics -- but...

    Absolutely no one buys a car like those to go off-roading whether it's boulders, swimming, whatever.

    I know Nissan just moved to Nashville, but really they lost their head... (yeah I saw it's a UK ad).

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    It's all image, without that image even GM would sell a fraction of the SUVs it makes.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,696
    You're right and I agree. It's just symptomatic of people's lack of reality about themselves.

    I love watching the 350-pound, 5'9", 50-year old guys sitting drinking their beers and smoking telling how the "athletes" on football teams should do this or that to win as if the overweight, out-of-shape guys have all the expertise in the world. Most of these guys couldn't run 90 feet to first base nor throw the football 30 yards, but that becomes their whole lives.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    ROTF !!!! :D

    Rocky
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    Yesterday during the Pat's/Bengals game, there was a commercial for the Ridgleline that I hadn't seen before. A couple of Ridgelines were "Rounding up" other small pickups like Dakotas, Rangers, Frontiers and Colorados, etc like a bunch of cattle. I got a chuckle out of it.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,540
    Was it any less ugly on TV? What a depressing game... We needed live commercials on the field..

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  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    I actually like how the Ridgline looks, so no.

    But being from N.E. it was a great game! After last weeks defeat and Brady's crybaby emotions that threw the damn game for us :mad: , it was nice to see them working as a team again, especially against a tough team like Cinnci.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,540
    I was referring to the game, when I asked if it was " as ugly on TV"...

    I was at the game.. :cry:

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