http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/08/car-commercials/
10 TV Car Ads That’ll Rev Your Engines
Whether you suffer from insomnia, sheer boredom at work or simply don’t get out much, we too know your pain. The channel-surfing sea is chock full of craptacular car commercials, so we’ve hunted down your white whale. Ten of them, to be exact.
We know how much you love Top 10 lists. We aim to please here at Autopia, so we bring you the best 10 car (and motorcycle) ads of all time based on creativity, humor and a very scientific awesomeness scale. Now although it seems that by “all time” we mean the last decade or so, we chalk up the preponderance of ads from that era to better and more risqué advertising for better and cooler products. The ads are presented in no particular order, as you will be ranking them and making your own nominations using the Reddit widget below.
With no further ado, we present from the home office in Monterey, California, our Top 10 Autopia-worthy car ads.
Mercedes-Benz: “Not in This Weather.” Debut of Mercedes’ 4-matic all-wheel-drive system, demonstrating unrelenting and unexpected reliability. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9r865NvVv8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2Fautopia%2F2009%2F08%2Fcar-commercials%2F&feature=player_embedded
Suzuki: “Walkin’ the Dog.” You want to go for a ride, but the missus wants you to take Fluffy for a walk. We’re sure you can compromise. Suzuki proposes a solution with the GSXR-1000. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPJK...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Honda: “When Things Just Work.” After 605 failed attempts, the film crew finally got this awesome Rube Goldberg-esque contraption to work, creating one of the coolest non-CGI ads to ever grace our TV screens. The only big mistake was the crew, much to the dismay of Honda engineers, disassembled two of only six handmade Accords in existence to make the ad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inhY...car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded#t=16
Volkswagen: “Terrorist Proof.” Banned worldwide for obvious reasons, this VW commercial demonstrates how “small but tough” the Polo is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad4f...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
General Motors: “All By Myself.” This ad drew howls of criticism from suicide-prevention advocates after its debut during the 2007 Super Bowl. GM execs defending it as a portrayal of GM’s commitment to quality was almost as laughable. We’re not picking sides. We just like the ad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3NG...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Ford: “F-150 Stopping a Landing C-123 Cargo Plane.” Following a common thread of pickups performing super-human (super-vehicular?) feats of strength, we found an F-150 stopping a 35,000-pound plane pretty damned impressive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6vg...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Fiat: “Don’t Touch My Car.” Share the road? Get real. Never underestimate the spiteful pride residing within a Fiat owner’s heart. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SInk...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Audi: “Old Luxury Just Got Put on Notice.” An homage to The Godfather in which Alex Rocco, playing the role of Moe Green, wakes up to find a quite unpleasant surprise between the sheets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ss...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
BMW: “Star.” Guy Ritchie’s direction with Madonna and Clive Owen’s acting may not sound like a “best ever” commercial, but add a 500-plus horsepower BMW M5, shake well and serve however you like it. Sadly the ad never aired, reportedly because Madonna didn’t wear a seatbelt. We think it might be because the “ad” is seven minutes long. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izo0...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Ferrari and Shell: “Ferrari Fuel for the Road.” A classic 60-year synoptic round-the-world tour of Shell and Ferrari’s racing relationship. Pure moto-porn. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_kw...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
OK, that’s our list. We undoubtedly missed something you think is the best. Ad. Ever. Use the Reddit widget to enlighten us and vote for your fave.
Photo: Flickr / Heather Durdill
OK, we’ve shown you ours. Now show us yours. You can’t use HTML — Curse our IT department! — so tell us about the ad and post a link.
10 TV Car Ads That’ll Rev Your Engines
- By Dave Eyvazzadeh
- August 18, 2009 |
Whether you suffer from insomnia, sheer boredom at work or simply don’t get out much, we too know your pain. The channel-surfing sea is chock full of craptacular car commercials, so we’ve hunted down your white whale. Ten of them, to be exact.
We know how much you love Top 10 lists. We aim to please here at Autopia, so we bring you the best 10 car (and motorcycle) ads of all time based on creativity, humor and a very scientific awesomeness scale. Now although it seems that by “all time” we mean the last decade or so, we chalk up the preponderance of ads from that era to better and more risqué advertising for better and cooler products. The ads are presented in no particular order, as you will be ranking them and making your own nominations using the Reddit widget below.
With no further ado, we present from the home office in Monterey, California, our Top 10 Autopia-worthy car ads.
Mercedes-Benz: “Not in This Weather.” Debut of Mercedes’ 4-matic all-wheel-drive system, demonstrating unrelenting and unexpected reliability. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9r865NvVv8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2Fautopia%2F2009%2F08%2Fcar-commercials%2F&feature=player_embedded
Suzuki: “Walkin’ the Dog.” You want to go for a ride, but the missus wants you to take Fluffy for a walk. We’re sure you can compromise. Suzuki proposes a solution with the GSXR-1000. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPJK...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Honda: “When Things Just Work.” After 605 failed attempts, the film crew finally got this awesome Rube Goldberg-esque contraption to work, creating one of the coolest non-CGI ads to ever grace our TV screens. The only big mistake was the crew, much to the dismay of Honda engineers, disassembled two of only six handmade Accords in existence to make the ad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inhY...car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded#t=16
Volkswagen: “Terrorist Proof.” Banned worldwide for obvious reasons, this VW commercial demonstrates how “small but tough” the Polo is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad4f...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
General Motors: “All By Myself.” This ad drew howls of criticism from suicide-prevention advocates after its debut during the 2007 Super Bowl. GM execs defending it as a portrayal of GM’s commitment to quality was almost as laughable. We’re not picking sides. We just like the ad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3NG...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Ford: “F-150 Stopping a Landing C-123 Cargo Plane.” Following a common thread of pickups performing super-human (super-vehicular?) feats of strength, we found an F-150 stopping a 35,000-pound plane pretty damned impressive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6vg...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Fiat: “Don’t Touch My Car.” Share the road? Get real. Never underestimate the spiteful pride residing within a Fiat owner’s heart. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SInk...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Audi: “Old Luxury Just Got Put on Notice.” An homage to The Godfather in which Alex Rocco, playing the role of Moe Green, wakes up to find a quite unpleasant surprise between the sheets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ss...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
BMW: “Star.” Guy Ritchie’s direction with Madonna and Clive Owen’s acting may not sound like a “best ever” commercial, but add a 500-plus horsepower BMW M5, shake well and serve however you like it. Sadly the ad never aired, reportedly because Madonna didn’t wear a seatbelt. We think it might be because the “ad” is seven minutes long. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izo0...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
Ferrari and Shell: “Ferrari Fuel for the Road.” A classic 60-year synoptic round-the-world tour of Shell and Ferrari’s racing relationship. Pure moto-porn. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_kw...9/08/car-commercials/&feature=player_embedded
OK, that’s our list. We undoubtedly missed something you think is the best. Ad. Ever. Use the Reddit widget to enlighten us and vote for your fave.
Photo: Flickr / Heather Durdill
OK, we’ve shown you ours. Now show us yours. You can’t use HTML — Curse our IT department! — so tell us about the ad and post a link.
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