Okay, the suggestions are in and the winner is clear, though not surprising. The favorite car commecial, according to you guys, is the Rube-Goldberg inspired Australian Honda commerical, "The Cog." I remember when the link to this commercial first made the rounds in everybody's inbox, and it is an undeniably impressive series of events. I also like the solid directorial work that effectively captures the entire sequence. But here's my question, how much of this was real and how much was computer annimated/enhanced? I think I read somewhere it was all "real." Either way, here's the link:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OFTduBCb7Eo
However, my favorite car commercial of all time remains the Ridley Scott classic for the Nissan 300ZX. The commercial as a whole is pretty cool, but I love the end, where the 300ZX creates a sonic boom and flashes by and then...after a noticeable pause...when you think the commercial is done, the jet finally
flies by.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w21qQFJ5rTU
Others sent in by readers include:
A Peugeot 206: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7eOVpBCtPo
A VW Jetta: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA6EL0FPZHA
A VW GTI: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edthG9ObzF4
And this one from Honda, which I had never seen before but is truly awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn76BWKDt50
And one very interesting comment came in from Brett (I remember this commercial, but couldn't find a link to it anywhere):
"I think the most influential commercial, and the one that got me the most defensive was the Lincoln ad in the late 80's. I was a GM guy back then.
The ad starts with people coming out of a nice restaurant and handing the Valet their tickets. The Valet gets confused with the GM's because the Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Cadillacs all look the same. Then the Lincoln owners steps forward and asked for the Lincoln Town Car. "What a Luxury Car Should Be."
In the book "The Comeback" (forgot the author) he talks about this ad as sending a shudder through GM, so much so that GM asked Ford to take it down."
By SubyTrojan
on June 29, 2007
09:22 AM
I may be wrong, but I think "The Cog" commercial was for the European Honda Accord. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cog_(television_commercial) - Granted, just because it's on Wikipedia doesn't mean it's true, but the info there sounds like all the ducks are in a row.
I've never seen the Nissan 300ZX or Peugeot 206 commercials. I found the 206 commercial to be very funny and I have the volume muted on this work computer! :D
The Honda "Power of Dreams" commercial was a really cool one displaying the heritage and evolution of Soichiro's dream.
Both "The Cog" Accord commercial and the 206 (which Marcus Grönholm used to win the 2000 and 2002 FIA World Rally Driver's Championship) are fine examples of good things we don't get on this side of the pond. :(
By anythngbutgm
on June 29, 2007
09:27 AM
I've always thought this one was pretty slick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXLtsLgnKJM
With the (cheesy) movie less than a week away, it seems only fitting.
By SubyTrojan
on June 29, 2007
09:35 AM
Thanks, anythingbutgm. There's another example of a car used in the WRC we don't get here in the good ol' U.S. of A. :(
By 7driver
on June 29, 2007
10:09 AM
I wouldn't call it "Best Ever" (which is why I didn't send it in the first place), but I always had an affinity for the Nissan "dream garage":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY1k5BgGExI
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on the point of view), I never see commercials any more thanks to my PVR.
By editor_karl
on June 29, 2007
10:12 AM
I hear you 7driver. Television commercials are becoming like libraries for me -- modern technology has pretty much removed them from my life.
By carlisimo
on June 29, 2007
11:03 AM
I won't attach a link because it's full of pop-ups, but Snopes (the site that debunks or verifies urban legends) has an article on the Honda Cog ad:
"The Honda ad was created without special effects. It was split into two continuous takes only because no studio was big enough to accommodate the entire sequence. The only post-production trickery is the lighting on the car doors at the end."
It goes on to say the two takes are joined at the 1:00 mark when the exhaust piece rolls off the screen. Snopes also verified that it took them 605 takes to get it right!
By scott65
on June 29, 2007
11:31 AM
It would also be fun to do the reverse and see the worst car commercials ever made. I would have to vote Chrysler as having the worst ads of the last 20+ years. Too many to list but some examples would be:
Celine Dion doing Pacifica ads
The Caliber add with the dog's ass hanging out the window and calling the car "anything but cute" Although I do give them credit for comparing a caliber to a dog's ass.
Ricardo Montalban and the rich corinthian leather
By editor_karl
on June 29, 2007
11:39 AM
Yeah, but what about "Dr. Z"?!!
You're right, Chrysler's had some issues (though I love the Dakota ad where the guy picks up a Triumph Hurricane AND an antique desk for his wife, but I'm biased on that one...).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB-MVH7jes4
By flicmod
on June 29, 2007
11:45 AM
7driver,
I remember that Nissan commercial! I had almost forgot about that one. Didn't they do a series of commercials with that Asian guy saying "dogs love trucks!"? Could've sworn they did.
carlisimo,
Interesting tidbit of info on the Honda commercial :-) Wonder how much much they spent on it.
By SubyTrojan
on June 29, 2007
12:05 PM
Dr. Z knows rock 'n' roll! - http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/dieter-zetsche-guitar.jpg
carlisimo, what you mentioned about "The Cog" commercial is also stated in the Wikipedia link I metioned above. :o)
Wes, Nissan did indeed have a "Dogs Love Trucks" series of commercials. I don't remember when.
By anythngbutgm
on June 29, 2007
12:07 PM
Oh man, those Snoop Dog "Shizzle the Icazzizzle" ads from the summer of 05' were just obnoxious! But, Chryslers ads have been pretty good here and there. The "Smoke on the Water" was pretty slick and the Bobblehead Jeep Compass ads were pretty catchy. There was a pretty slick Caliber ad with the skateboarder kid (I think he was made out of different parts of the surroundings or something). The Rockem Robots ad was neat, just overplayed...
By editor_karl
on June 29, 2007
01:22 PM
Call me absent-minded, but a friend just emailed me this link. How I forgot to mention this one in the original post is not explainable:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V42Tbm8w2Ak&mode=related&search
By bimmerjay
on June 29, 2007
01:25 PM
What, nobody nominated Ford's "Making the dream come true" commercials for the 1996 Taurus!?? Wait, maybe that one goes under the worst category. :-)
I liked the Ford 'Global Anthem' campaign from the late 90's that had Charlotte Church singing "Just Wave Hello" - it emphasized how Ford is such a far-reaching and globally recognized brand. It was a cool feel-good commercial, IMHO.
"The Cog" definitely rocks, *best commercial ever*.
By billymay
on June 29, 2007
02:26 PM
This is one from Royal Dutch Shell, featuring a sports car marque, is the best commercial I've seen in my life -- definitely gives you shivers!
(And yeah I'm biased because I drive one of their cars... but holy crap!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iItzJc-NHI4
By levyrob
on June 29, 2007
02:38 PM
Cog gets my nod as top dog.
That 206 ad was pretty good. And the Shell ad makes me want to hear my engine rev!
An older VW ad that sticks with me is one with the tag line "if a car is just a car, then a souffle is just eggs."
The early Infiniti ads were pretty weak.
By brett8210
on June 29, 2007
02:39 PM
What about the best jingle?
"Have you driven a FORD... Then you don't know what your missing! have you driven a Ford, Have you driven a Ford,
HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD, L A T E L Y"
By rick8365
on June 29, 2007
04:49 PM
Or, Tau rus..... for us!
ugh!!
Call me crazy but I thought I picked up on something funny when the tires roll up the ramp in the Honda cog ad - especially the last one. Great stuff none the less.
L O V E the Shell / Ferrari ad. As cool as the current F1 cars sound, I think I prefer the sounds of the older ones (pre and early wing cars) - really great sounds.
By kratas101
on June 29, 2007
10:36 PM
For the Honda Cog ad, the reason the tires roll UP the ramp is because they were weighted inside.
By 7driver
on June 29, 2007
11:17 PM
I think Nissan ran a shortened one that had the "dogs love trucks" line and may have featured the Hardbody pickup. I don't recall exactly. But as Karl's GI Joe/Barbie "Toys" ad shows, the Asian guy was an integral part of the "Enjoy the Ride" campaign. Mr. K beats Dr. Z any day, and not just with commercials!
By rick8365
on June 30, 2007
06:01 AM
Ah....got it, thanks Kratas.
By SubyTrojan
on June 30, 2007
02:53 PM
I can't believe I forgot the Trunk Monkey commercials!
From http://www.trunkmonkeyracing.com/content/view/28/71/
"What is a Trunkmonkey?
A Trunkmonkey is a trained monkey that lives in your trunk that jumps from side to side to automate weight transfer during spirited driving maneuvers. Originally created as a joke on the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club in January of 2000, the Trunkmonkey has become a cult-like mascot among Subaru drivers worldwide!"
http://web.archive.org/web/20020205013142/http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=603
Here's the first video: Road Rage - http://www.trunkmonkey.com/content/view/28/51/ (Page)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rFvR7Bv9Fk (Video only)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oaw5lMp9Tz0 (Video of Portland, OR local TV station news story)
I have a Trojan Trunk Monkey in my car. :o)
http://www.uscbookstore.com/images/1519.jpg
By SubyTrojan
on July 4, 2007
03:41 PM
Karl, here's that VW Jetta "Valet" commercial I previously mentioned. I hope you and your family are having a great Fourth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5aaL_9z4IE
By peterkol
on September 28, 2011
11:44 AM
I have to say that working next to the 2nd street tunnel in downtown Los Angeles, I had seen all kinds of interesting car commercials being shot but nothing like your posted VW commercial.
I actually found a post that has listed some of the commercials shot there:
http://www.trafficschools123.com/blog/2nd-street-tunnel-in-downtown-los-angeles/