Point gun at foot. Pull trigger.

One of the big conversations in the industry at the moment is around sustainability.  It's critically important and as much as the US seems to be lagging behind the UK, there seems to be some action beginning to happen.

So I was a little surprised to see tonight the new Kia incentives ad.  I'm not saying anything more except the idea is 'save the greenbacks'.  The site they've built here has the ad.   

Comments

[nick]

Gareth,

Last time I checked you guys are repping both Cadillac and Hummer. I get a funny feeling the conversation goes a little something like this:

"Hey Pot!"
"What's goings down kettle?" (urban... for the kids)
"HEY! You're black!"

Truth be told, their positioning of being the "cheap" luxury car, probably needs a big re-think. But with that said, it's not like any of the stated brands are doing a bit to save the planet. Does the Kia choice to marry "green", "earth-saving treehugger" imagery with saving bo-coup bucks at the dealerships work? Hell no. But c'mon, you want a Hummer marketing summary, check here: http://defamer.com/hollywood/fuck-earth-day/fox-celebrates-earth-day-254668.php

Just because you're not saying it, doesn't mean you're not saying it... So is it fair to take stabs at their work? probably not. But honestly - think about what the brief looked like for this. The sit back, relax, and take a long sip of unrefined crude, 'cause we're all headed to the bottom of the same well in the long run. See what the schmuck environmentalists have done? sad.

[Charles Frith]

Sit back and take a long sip of unrefined crude. Thats brilliant.

I do think though that we all know Hummers are for selfish and insecure people and they pretty much convey that anyway.

This website though appeals to greed which is celebrated in U.S. culture anyway. Slightly different problems.

[gareth]

Nick
Yes I do work for an agency that works for Cadillac and HUMMER. But that's really not my issue.
My issue with the Kia work is with any automotive brand deciding to use a spoof on the green movement as a way to do a "come on down, the price is right" sale. It's nearly as good as a Bud ad would be set in an AA meeting. Stuff like this doesn't just hurt Kia, it hurts the whole ad industry.

[São Paulo Para-brisa Reparo]

I have opined recently that the mainstream media is so desirous of finally breaking the black barrier for the top office in the world that they really don't have the sort of hunger for answers, real answers, that is their hallmark