Bizarre Advertising Campaign: Buick and Harley Earl

[scottcsmith]

Aside from the commercials where the main character has been raised by wolves (there are at least two that I can think of), one of the strangest ad campaigns is Buick's campaign using famed car maker Harley Earl. The problem is Earl is dead. So in the commercials, an actor plays the ghost of Harley Earl. And I have to wonder how Buick's ad agency pitched the idea to the Earl estate. The pitch probably went something like this:

Buick ad agency: We have a great idea for a series of Buick commercials involving Harley Earl.

Earl estate: Oh, really? Are you going to feature some of the many innovations Harley introduced into the building of automobiles?

Ad agency: Er, no.

Earl estate: No? But he did so much! Two-tone paint. Tail fins. Hard tops. So much!

Ad agency: Well, in the commercials Mr. Earl will appear as a ghost.

Earl estate: A ghost?

Ad agency: Yes. He'll be a ghost haunting the Buick design factory, giving ideas to the engineers building the cars.

Earl estate: A ghost?

Ad agency: People like ghosts. They'll love the ghost of Harley Earl.

Earl estate: A ghost?

Let's hear about some other bizarre ad campaigns!

[everythingsxen]

1. Last night on History Channel...

They had a special about cars. They showed a picture of Harley Earl.

He looks *nothing* like the actor they have playing him.

[Chef]

2. Harley Earl

I have often thought I would write Buick and let them know I find these commercial odd. Probably there is only 5-10% of the population knows who he was and they don't go very far to explain who he was as you point out. I wonder what the focus group who they must of screened the test for must have thought?

Ghosts just don't sell cars and besides, I bet he'd turn over in his grave if he could see these ads.

[Westegg]

3. Plus, the ghost of Earl is played by ...

....the same actor who played the really dumb farm-boy army recruit in the semi-classic Bill Murray/John Candy '80s comedy "Stripes." Can't remember the actor's name but I SWEAR it's him!
So whenever I see those commercials, I instantly think of his slack-jawed yokel red-neck character, and it removes me from whatever point Buick is trying to make with these ads.

Fact is, Earl WAS a great designer, but these ads are mis-fires, IMO.