Comments on: Mercedes: Reckless Driving Is Smarter

By: David Galvan

David Galvan — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:53:03 +0000

Mark B, regarding your type #3:

I remember visiting MOCA on a Sunday once, and being amazed at how pristine and empty that part of Downtown seemed on the weekend. I think they were actually filming that type of car commercial not too far from the front of the Disney Concert Hall.

By: Will Campbell

Will Campbell — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:07:53 +0000

I think it was during the Oscars that I saw this ad. My wife looked at me sideways when I yelled at the TV and called bullshit on the ad. Glad I’m not the only one who found it retarded.

By: MarkB

MarkB — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:17:41 +0000

The first time I saw that ad I had similar thoughts. It was bad enough when every off-roader out there was shown tearing up the countryside at 60mph+, doing 4-wheel drifts, leaving huge rooster tails where virgin land used to be, but now that style of “driving” has come to the city center. Pity the pedestrian, bicyclist, or child in the street when that Mercedes tears through.

Car ads all seem to come in only a few flavors, none realistic:

1. Off-roaders driving at ridiculous speeds tearing up virgin wilderness;

2. A vehicle on an Angeles Crest Hwy -type road, which is, of course, absolutely empty for miles in every direction, the vehicle being driven at high speeds;

3. A vehicle in a downtown that is devoid of any other cars, and generally pulling up to park right in front of the museum/theater/restaurant/whatever, and it is the only vehicle to park on the un-metered, non-red-curbed street.

The Mercedes ad is a hybrid of #2′s driving style and #3′s location.

There is a #4 style: Buy this car or [ you | your children | puppies ] die, but Volvo seems to have a lock on that style.