Just two weeks ago, we told you about a Ford television commercial critical of GM and Chrysler for taking bailout money. The unscripted ad, filmed in a mock “press conference” format, featured an F-150 owner named Chris who supported Ford for “standing on their own; win, lose or...Read More»
Last week, we told you about Fiat's new commercial for the 500c, starring singer/actress Jennifer Lopez. But watching that ad is a little confusing, like joining an episode of Cheaters halfway through. Why, for example, are those men beating the crap out of one another? Why are they chasing J-Lo?...Read More»
Audi wants to make American roads safer and more intelligent, to which we say “good luck with that.” If you agree to ‘Take The Pledge’ with Audi, and improve your driving habits, you can enter to win a trip for two to the Audi Sportscar Experience Challenge at Infineon...Read More»
Toyota's "Your Other You" ad campaign for the 2009 Matrix was supposed to capitalize on the "punking" trend popular at the time. But when a woman got unknowingly dragged into the mix, things went off the rails. Now she's seeking $10 million in damages from Toyota, the company's ad agency Saatchi...Read More»
Newly single mamí-from-the-block Jennifer Lopez has gone boldly where few A-List celebs are willing to go: deep into the belly of a car commercial. For now, at least, it appears that J-Lo is the face of the 2012 Fiat 500c. In an ad that debuted this week on Monday Night Football, Lopez...Read More»
The good news -- for Hyundai fans, at least -- is that the Korean automaker has driven to the top ten of Brand Keys' Customer Loyalty Leaders Index for a second year in a row. The bad news is that of the hundreds of brands that Brand Keys studied, no other car company broke the top 50, and just...Read More»
In advertising, there are three things that sell: sex, babies, and cute, fuzzy animals. (Note: each should be used separately.) As proof of the third item on that list, we present the Kia Soul hamsters, who have dodged exterminators yet again and returned for another thumpin', bumpin' campaign...Read More»
On Tuesday, General Motors held its second annual "Global Business Conference" for investors. And during the presentation, GM's chief marketing officer, Joel Ewanick, said that he wanted to retool the Chevrolet brand to be more like that of Apple. Ewanick's exact words -- noted on a slide -- were...Read More»
Scion’s soon-to-be-launched iQ minicar has the automaker branching into an entirely new segment of the of the automotive industry. Complicating things further, the brand’s perception among car buyers has been trending downward over the past 30 months, so how will it effectively launch a...Read More»
The music service Spotify is a big hit with younger consumers, and not surprisingly, advertisers from every industry are going full-tilt capitalize on its booming popularity. Here in the U.S., most of those marketing tactics have been fairly ho-hum, but Volkswagen's Skoda brand is doing something...Read More»
The new ad campaign for the 2011 Toyota Venza is chilling: a bleak, emotionless picture of post-apocalyptic America, full of Facebook and MacBooks. And Thunderdomes, too, we assume. The clip features comedienne Allyn Rachel in what may be her first serious role to date. Sitting before a white...Read More»
Selling electric vehicles is no easy task. Human beings are creatures of habit, and EVs represent a dramatic shift. Accordingly, Nissan has shifted its advertising strategy for the fully electric Leaf, targeting an area where everyone's sensitive: the wallet. You probably recall the first ads for...Read More»
If you're on Facebook, you understand its allure, its dazzling ability to connect you with friends, fremenies, people you'd thought you'd forgotten, and others you wished you had. If you're not on Facebook...well, you will be. Facebook -- or at least the social, interconnected, sharable info model...Read More»
If you're a regular reader of auto sites like this one, you've probably noticed something peculiar about the promotional pics of new vehicles -- namely, that many of them look the same. There's your standard car-on-road shot, the car-next-to-edgy-office-building, and of course, the...Read More»
Cadillac used to be the car of grandparents' dreams: solid, dependable, and staid. It said, "Yes, I've arrived...at Denny's for the early bird special." In recent years, though, Caddy has been making a play for younger drivers. Design has gotten bolder and edgier, and the company has tapped...Read More»
When Honda launched its first marketing salvo for the revamped 2012 Civic, we were underwhelmed -- mostly because we're grammar nerds and the campaign's tagline has a major error front-and-center. Honda's next Civic promotion, however, looks much better, and it might even yield some good music (or...Read More»
Whether you're in the market for a new car or just looking for some weekend R&R, you may want to pay attention to a new promotional campaign from Hertz. The rental car giant began running its new "Gas and Brake" ads yesterday. The premise behind them is that there are, metaphorically speaking...Read More»
Forget Chrysler and that "Born of Fire" ad that generated so much buzz (justified or not). Forget Kia and its indomitable, award-winning rodents. The only auto ad from 2011 that you folks really enjoyed is Volkswagen's clip with the diminutive Darth Vader. We're not making that up: marketing...Read More»
It's official: Americans love rodents. That rule may not apply so much to rats or nutria, but cuter critters like squirrels and chipmunks are tops with U.S. consumers. And at the pinnacle of the rodent pyramid, we find hamsters -- specifically, the road-trippin' hamsters featured in commercials for...Read More»
