Originally Posted by Tim K

I really like the H3 add I saw the other night.....they finish off the commercial by showboating their gas mileage in bright white letters on a black background....

"20mpg"

Is that really something to be proud of?

Originally Posted by lakedude

Could there ever be a Hummer add that would not be viewed as Pathetic by our members?

Originally Posted by Interview with Father of the SUV? Clotaire Rapaille

....BOB GARFIELD: They are not particularly practical. They are very, very expensive -- at least in the high end of 50,000 dollars and more. They get, some of them, between ten and 15 miles to the gallon. They're difficult to park and everyone who doesn't drive one hates them. Why do people buy SUVs?

CLOTAIRE RAPAILLE: Well, the first key element was kind of a failure by all the car manufacturers in Detroit to create the car that people want! All these cars -- they were boring and ugly. They look all the same; they had no identity. It's a little bit like the cars were telling you well, I, I'm, I'm not so sure of myself; I don't dare to be a car. They - that's what the message of these intellectual cars designed by Nasstar [sp?] - they're trying to get more aerodynamic and gas mileage. And then they were not sexy at all! So suddenly this SUV is hey, the hell with you -I'm strong, I'm big, I'm taller than you --and I'm proud of being that! You know? So the message was more self-confidence.

BOB GARFIELD: If SUV marketing is about appealing to primal instincts, it would seem to me that the hummer, which is possibly the most impractical automobile ever designed--

CLOTAIRE RAPAILLE: Right.

BOB GARFIELD: -- the appeal just be practically bestial!

CLOTAIRE RAPAILLE: You see that, that -- what is fantastic here in, in the time where we are right now -- the hummer is almost a car in uniform. I mean in a time of war, to have a, a, a uniform is the message. I know how to fight; I'm part of a structure; I'm strong. I even told people in Detroit -- and they laugh at me -- I say put four stars on the shoulder of the hummer - you will sell it better. And by the way, if you look at Ralph Lauren right now, his winter collection was full of uniforms; I mean it's the fashion. And people wear a car. You don't drive a car. When people say to me, you know, you need a car to go from point A to point B -- you don't need a hummer to go from point A to point B; you don't need a hummer to go shopping. I mean let's be serious. There are other reasons, other deep, deep motivation there.

BOB GARFIELD: One of the commercials shows a, a series of phrases one after the other--: [ROCK MUSIC UP AND UNDER] Do not do this. Do not do that. Eat your vegetables, it says on screen. [LAUGHTER] Play it safe. And then you hear--: [ROCK MUSIC UP LOUD] and then you see the phrase--: Whatever. Is the message there: "I own a hummer. To hell with you?"

CLOTAIRE RAPAILLE: Definitely something like that. I mean I'm, I'm not behind this message, but there is something about feeling good about the hell with you; I do what I want, you see? And this is part of the American culture. And a lot of people resent this attitude around the world. You see that, that's what a lot of people resent about this administration - what they say is the hell with you - we're going to go to war anyway. But on the other hand there is something positive about it, because we know what we want and we do it!-- whatever it is. You know. So they're using that to sell a hummer. Definitely. And I think it works! I think these guys are, in terms of marketing the hummer, are doing a great job if you look at the sale of the hummer...

Originally Posted by fernando_g

Long ago, I once saw an EUROPEAN vehicle commercial, which shows -quite dramatically- the cultural differences between USA and Europe.
It goes like this:

Scene one: A Chippendale male stripper arrives at a club in a large Mercedes, he undresses, goes to the stage in full monty (his back to the camera). The ladies give him a lukewarm applause.

Scene two: Another Chippendale stripper arrives in a large American SUV. Repeats the routine. The ladies yawn and show signs of boredom.

Scene three: Another Chippendale arrives in a Small, snazzy European coupe. Don't recall exactly what, could have been a Mini. Repeats the routine. The ladies become wild with emotion and give him a standing ovation.

The closing comments: "The XYZ car: for men who don't require an ego booster." Or something like that.
Quite hilarious, if you ask me.