I
was watching television the other day, and a commercial came on
for a car.
The
basic design of the ad was one of those average, ordinary, everyday
people concepts, with a woman driving along and talking about
how the car had helped her improve her travel. (I’m deliberately
not mentioning the brand and model of the car. Also not mentioning
where the commercial was broadcast or the dealership she was representing.
None of that is important for where we are headed. The quote I
am about to share though… it is the direct quote. I was able to
watch the ad multiple times to get it right. These are the exact
words.)
“…I
get up hills that I never could get up before, park in parking
spots that I would have gotten stuck in…”
And…
…just…
wow.
Let’s
share that again.
“…I
get up hills that I never could get up before, park in parking
spots that I would have gotten stuck in…”
Now,
in partial fairness (but more as full disclosure), this was for
a local dealership that was promoting an SUV by featuring what
they presented as one of our real neighbors. So… SUV… northeast
United States… broadcast in January… peak winter driving season
where peak winter can be factors of note for an SUV.
Still…
come on…
Number
one – Even if you’ve driven on some pretty unbelievable and amazing
roads, with twists and turns and elevations and descents, how
often during normal weather conditions are those roads unpassable?
She didn’t say that she can now get up hills she was frightened
to drive on during ice and snow and freezing temperatures. Didn’t
say her neighborhood was up a mountain, across the valley, covering
miles of dirt roads and landslide warnings.
Number
two – Parking spots you would have gotten stuck in? Really? Where
are you shopping? You had nothing to say about other cars of yours
being too big to fit in spaces, with this SUV parking like a smaller
vehicle with specially designed doors and more. Just the freedom
to park in spots that would have resulted in being trapped. In
fact, what is… no, never mind… let’s get away from the commercial
and over to a more generalized thought from it…
What
the hell is happening? Why is this advertisement, like so many
other commercials, so out of touch? How is it possible to be this
far off and not see it? Sure, it is pleasant. The woman seems
quite happy. That’s all lovely. But…
Let’s
get away from cars and shift things for a moment to buying a house.
Consider the very first checklist you might design for your needs.
There are bound to be at least a handful of items that you consider
necessities. Is it the number of bedrooms or bathrooms? Is it
how it’s heated or cooled? Do you focus on the quality of the
schools?
Chances
are good that you would design a list that covers some pretty
standard stuff we might all be writing down, and then throws in
a few twists based on personal desires, preferences and experiences.
You
might have pets and want a fenced in yard. Maybe you are looking
for garage space, a large shed, or an area that’s perfect for
a garden. Perhaps you are strongly against living on a busy street
or can’t stand carpeting.
I
think you can understand very quickly that the list will have
two segments. We all want to get the most for our money. We can
all understand wanting the best education for kids, the potential
needs of a certain minimum number of bedrooms or the ability to
set up a home office, and the joys of a second bathroom. And in
that personal wish list section, you might want to be closer to
the beach while someone else prefers a city life.
Now
let’s bring that same shopping overview concept back to cars.
Gas
mileage? Sure. We all like good miles per gallon. Seating for
a large family? Yup. That matters for many of us. Cost? Ratings
from reliable reporting and evaluation groups? Looks? Interior
design and options? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Getting
up a hill and not getting stuck in a parking spot? Really? A parking
spot? I… uh…
Those
seem either: (1) A bit of a given. Or, (2) issues that raise more
questions about what was being driven (and where it was being
driven) rather than generic qualifiers.
For
the most part, advertising is a creative process, and the taking
of a few liberties are to be forgiven. My problem isn’t with being
creative or even with the expressing of opinions or a narrowed
focus. It just seems like the frequency with which I’m stunned
by what’s appearing in front of me on the screen is increasing.
I
expect to find lies and exaggerations in commercials. I should
on occasion be presented with new ways of looking at something.
I recognize that truth isn’t always an accurate and definitive
concept. It’s perspective and opinion and twisting and bending
and viewing things from all sorts of unusual angles.
But
being impressed because my new car can get in and out of parking
spots? I’m at a loss.