September 04, 2006

Light Fuse. Stand Back.

Have you seen the latest Ford commercial for some SUV or other in which the family are all out having qualityhappybondingtime until the end when the Dad gets dropped off and you realize that it was just visitation day? The sales pitch is that this particular car gets better than 500 miles per tank and the tag line is that this means you can thus spend more time doing the important things - like buying ice cream at the beach for your kids.

See, the car makes the kids' lives more special! Innut that wonderful? Never mind that Mom and Dad split the dishes. Never mind that Dad would actually serve the kids much better not by sailing in every now and again for some happytime bonding, but actually by being around all the time and sharing in both the high points and the day-to-day drudgery of life (including stopping by the gas station to fill up the tank). Forget all that. Buy this Ford and you too can make your child's life that much more wunnerful regardless!

I find this commercial deeply offensive.

I find it offensive not because it brings up issues of divorce and divided custody. Of course, I've plenty of opinions on these matters, but that's for another day. No, what I find offensive is Ford's rose-colored glasses portrayal of a split family and its suggestion that the way to achieve this [false] ideal is to buy its damned car.

Posted by Robert at September 4, 2006 10:36 AM | TrackBack
Comments

It's about damn time somebody said it!

Good on ya!

I'm no Australian, I just like the way "good on ya" rolls off the keyboard. Oh well, the senitment is in it.

I'm not sure who in the commercial is supposed to be the bad guy, though. I got the impression that the wife was a heartless testicle crusher who rarely lets Dad see the kids.

Posted by: chip at September 4, 2006 11:26 AM

I'm with you on this one. Ford's ad people would probably say this commercial shows things the way they are, appealing to all kinds of families. It strives to make Mom look happy and successful, hence the SUV, and open-minded enough to include Dad in this quality time. See! Divorced Mommy isn't bitter! Daddy isn't martyring himself!

It ain't always like that, trust me.

And, from my experience as an SUV owner, quality family time is better spent at home, since one has to spend so much $$$ to fill those beefmas with gas!

Posted by: GroovyVic at September 4, 2006 11:27 AM

Yaayy, I'm so glad to see it in writing! I've been offended by that commercial since the first time I saw it.

Posted by: eljay at September 4, 2006 01:58 PM

Anybody else have a problem with Domino's Pizza's advertisements for their Fudgems brownies? I want to know what adman thought that smearing a brown mess all over actors would attract potential customers.

Posted by: Orglefan at September 4, 2006 08:27 PM

It never ceases to amaze me that someone who gets paid a lot of money to oversee a company will select an ad campaign that makes their customers look like idiots. Just think, they chose this one over some other concepts.

Posted by: Chris at September 5, 2006 02:18 PM

I gotta agree with Orglefan. Fudgems brings up every negative brown, sticky association my mind can muster right along with all the unsettling creepiness of the Hamburgler.

Seriously, I will never eat Domino's pizza again - and certainly nothing called a Fudgem will ever enter my home. Ew!

Posted by: Chai-rista at September 5, 2006 02:20 PM

Absolutely agree with you Robbo.

Posted by: Babs at September 8, 2006 09:33 AM