I have just seen the lowest down most sleazy car commercial ever (Toyota)

[DuaneBidoux]

A boy is coming out of his school. Another boy sees the boy coming out and says, to paraphrase, "this is the ultimate humiliation."

There is a father trying to pick up his son, and another car with his mom trying to pick him up. Of course the situation would not be anything other than a divorced couple picking up their son.

The father is driving an older American station wagon, the mother is driving a wonderful new Toyota Highlander SUV. The boy says "this Highlander (the Toyota) is so cool I actually want to be seen with my mom in it." And the boys says (obviously referring to his father and his "lame" car) drives off with his mom and says "just because you're a parent doesn't mean you have to be lame."

It is a discusting commercial in my books. This is the kind of shit we are increasingly headed for as a society. If these are the values the right wants I simply want out.

Madonna said, in one of her songs: "No one tells you how to live your life...but it's a set up..." That "set up" is tightening its noose around our necks a little more everyday.

[DainBramaged]

1. This commercial will be cheered here as perfect for our times

mark my words. At the DU, yota can do no wrong.

[Mimosa]

15. Not by me.

I didn't know D.U.ers support any brands in particular.

BTW, I'm glad the new State farm commercials returned to the David Ogilvy maxim that advertisers should answer the consumers question 'What's in it for me?'

Because we looked into changing our car insurance (and we did switch) we discovered that the hit and run (by illegal alien driver, no insurance)which totaled our car had erroniously been put into the Geico system as my partner's accident. Thank goodness we discovered that while the police records were still available and the Geico system could accept the correction.

[DainBramaged]

16. You should read my journal

I am rabid GM and a UAW member. Many here support the imports at American jobs and Union membership's expense .


The japanese and Koreans do as they please here, import without restriction, build here in right to work states, while we cannot sell cars in japan or Korea without jumping through impossible hoops, nor can GM or Ford or Chrysler build manufacturing plants there.


We have been screwed by japan and Korea for decades, and DU membership defends them.

Thanks for your support.

[Mimosa]

28. DainBramaged, thanks. Will do.

DB, you know that if US corporations, big investors and our elected representatives hadn't sold out our working people, the situation wouldn't be what it is.

The Japanese, Korean, and the Chinese governments and companies are naturally going to act in the best interests of their own populations. Our corporations and government have profited by selling out American workers. A little bit of farsightedness and a swath across Northern states wouldn't be called the 'Rust Belt'.

Japan, South Korea and China did not force American corporations and retailers to buy refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, not to mention textiles, tools, and ceramics, from their factories. It was far more profitable to buy products made by laborers earning 25-50 cents an hour. And for a long time it looked like consumers benefited from being able to buy things cheaper.

The crows have come home to roost, haven't they?

[flvegan]

33. Not by me.

Toyota is the most beige automotive marque I know of. They even failed in their attempt at their "supercar" (Lexus LFA).

[REP]

35. Barf. I had to drive a ToyAuto when my (Japanese-built) Z went in for maintenance

Worst. Car. Ever - a Corolla LE. Nothing good about it; my much-loved Pontiac 6000LE, which was a heavy car with a four-banger, had more acceleration. My Z is smaller but more comfortable and is exquisitely laid out.

I love my Fairlady, but would gladly buy another 6000. All my Pontiacs were great cars, but the Iron Deuce has a special place in my heart.

[laundry_queen]

51. Loved that car.

I once had a 6000LE. Great car. A mechanic bought it off of me because he said that with 150,000 kms on it, it was just getting broken in and that they didn't make engines like that anymore. My aunt's lasted until well over 350,000 kms.
And yes, I regret ever selling mine.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. Haven't seen that particular one but have seen 2 other 'lame parents' toyota commercial

1.Father is washing 'lame' station wagon, then we see the shiny new toyota.

2. car pulls up next to another car. Boy in nice car expresses pity for boy in 'lame' car

[gkhouston]

14. all of the recent Highlander commercials seem to be saying, "the car for assholes".

For all I know, they're actually nice cars. The commercials feature such unlikeable people that I don't want to even consider test-driving one.

[virgogal]

21. My son and his wife love theirs. It was their first non-American car.

It was a "Cash for Clunkers" purchase.

[Danmel]

3. I totally agree

That commercial is repulsive. The contemptuous attitude of the kid toward him parents because their car isn't cool enough is disgusting. If that was my kid , he'd be walking to school and doing a crap load of chores after walking home.

[DuaneBidoux]

4. The problem however is that the commercial legitimizes and encourages the boy in such feelings.

What can a kid do when faced with this? What could a parent do when put into a situation where what kind of car he drives has to do with how much he respects his parents? The kid here is probably the ultimate victim...all of us follow close behind in being victims.

[Danmel]

73. Reminds me of a kid we carpooled with

When my daughter was in preschool. This was in 1995. I picked up one of the kids in my new car (ironically a Toyota Camry) and he disdainfully said "This is your NEW CAR? My mother drives a Mercedes and my father drives a Jag" I wanted to let him out at the curb, but he was only 4 years old.


Can you imagine what dinner conversation was like at that kids house?

We stopped car pooling the following year, when they moved into a custom built Mc Mansion in one of the most expensive communities on Long Island and didn't have to associate with low class people like me

[Initech]

5. That commercial basically sends the message "you suck if you dont buy this".

And I utterly despise that kind of advertising.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. And makes children ashamed of their parents based on material status.

[Initech]

8. My mom was telling me about high school yearbooks in recent years.

They used to be about who students were and what their status in the school was. In recent years they've become more about the things they own instead of who they are. That just sucks.

[DuaneBidoux]

20. But then parents become aware of this--and divorced parents fighting for attention and influence...

fight with every tool they can imagine to keep their influence (as a divorced father who doesn't have custody I can tell you that this becomes almost an obsession, that is, how to stay relevant in your childs life).

To me this was the most insidious part--using the divorced status and this tremendous fear of fathers (and it was directed at fathers) to not be relevant in their child's life--and how to stay relevant.

I think this is the most subtle and, as I said, insidious part of this commercial, and one that even most on this thread have seemed to miss.

[seabeyond]

45. no no no . nt

[Gaedel]

59. Been doing for years

The only reason you aren't having constant sex with a variety of attractive partners is that you use the wrong toothpaste or mouthwash.

[Freethinker65]

7. saw these ads last night...

The ones with the blond curly haired brat for the Toyota Highlander. I wonder who the target audience is? Certainly made me dislike the kid, his family, and the Highlander.

[rickrok66]

9. Just to pile on

So the message is judge your parents on the merit of their cars and not on the merit of their actions or something like that.

There is a new Subaru commercial that drives me nuts. It is from the "remember your first Subaru theme". A man and his wife arrive at some kind of reunion. The man looks across the way and notices a blond. There is then a flashback of him romancing the blond in his first Subaru while his current wife or gf is standing there. The commercial ends with him still owning the old Subaru like a trophy. Very cheesy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5UwvFbi5PE&feature=player_embedded

[DuaneBidoux]

23. This is particularly low for the way it plays on a divorced father's need to stay relevant for...

his children. Using the tragedy of a family that has already been split apart by God knows what horrors and using that. I guess the right wing, and Colbert, has gotten its way. We will keep fear alive...and build upon it to sell more cars (or everything, I guess).

[LisaL]

41. You misunderstood the commercial. It doesn't ha ve

anything to do with a divorced father. One parent is picking up his kid in a "lame" car and the other parent (they aren't a divorced couple) is picking up her kid in a "cool" car.

[ejpoeta]

10. i have seen it along with another one with the same boy whining about his

parents having an old car. now, as a parent, or in general i have always said that if you want to buy me a new car you are welcome to but if not fuck off. it's starting again though. i have noticed it. the ad that wants you to be better than the neighbor... it's not about saving but having that thing or the better thing or whatever. the way it was back before the crash. when walmart had commercials that said i went in for one thing and came out with so much more..... which is of course true. but i digress.

[patrice]

11. That one is almost as bad as another Toyota ad for one of their vans that uses

an almost sacredly romantic song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and full on orgasmic figurative imagery, including cascades of rose PETALS and another shot of dozens of PEARLS on the half shell, to express how the van connects the man and woman in the ad all to coincide with the climax in the song. This ad is so over the top, I have to admit that it may be satire, but the problem is that certain classes of viewers may not recognize it as satire at all.

I have noticed the one you are talking about too and it IS completely disgusting.

[pokerfan]

12. Thanks Mad Men

Sounds like crass, shallow materialism which means it's perfect for the American market. On the other hand you have this cleverly written UK commercial for the Toyota Yaris subcompact. (I appreciate a good double entendre.) But no 'merican would be caught dead driving something so small...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAMmDqtlR-Q

[jancantor]

22. right. Because a country that has a Monarchy

and a House of "Lords" is SO much more enlightened than us on matters of class and wealth.

[muriel_volestrangler]

61. It's sad that neither you nor pokerfan can recognise a standard Australian accent

or read the ".au" suffix of the URL given at the end of the ad.

Let's have a look at the Gini index of income distribution:
United States: 45
Australia: 30.5

So, yes, Australia is much more enlightened than the US on matters of class and wealth, even though it still has a nominal monarchy. Maybe you should watch the commercial again. Not that it's actually making any explicit point about class or wealth - it's just advertising a small car. The kind that Americans still tend to look down on.

[jancantor]

64. That's fantastic but I was responding to the claim

about the advert being from the UK. I've never seen the advert, so I'm responding to the post, not the audio. Not only can I tell an Australian accent from a British one (or a Scottish one or a ...) but as a person who has BEEN to Australia, I can tell an Australian accent from a Kiwi one.

I jokingly refer to my favorite Aussie as a "vickie" (he calls me, as an American, a "seppo"). Australia as a former conVICT colony, certainly doesn't have the same haughty class issues to the same extent we see in the UK

And I would agree that Australia doesn't have the class problems (to the same extent) that the UK does. But the previous post was about an (alleged) UK commercial. Of course it doesn't surprise me AT ALL that somebody who can't tell the difference in accents doesn't understand the class problems in the UK.

Thanks for the comment...

[muriel_volestrangler]

65. You're responding to one word in the post

which can be taken out, and the point of the post would remain unchanged.

So, in fact, what you were doing is dismissing anything that the UK could possibly say, on the grounds that it has a House of Lords?

How short-sighted and insular of you. You couldn't even be bothered to watch the ad. You just have a prejudice against anything British.

[jancantor]

66. No, I'm not. Nice strawman

I was responding to the classic canard that the UK (or insert European country here) is oh so much more enlightened than the US in (insert any possible issue here).

The fact is that the UK is more class conscious than the US. That fact is not refuted by an alleged commercial from the UK, that apparently isn't even from the UK.

I actually used two examples, which are non-exhaustive, not merely the House of Lords. Clearly, the monarchy is the more compelling example, although hardly the only one.

[muriel_volestrangler]

68. The post wasn't about the UK, or Europe

It was about a Toyota ad that doesn't appeal to crass materialism, that wasn't American. It turns out it comes from a more egalitarian country than the US, ie Australia. And Australia still has a monarchy.

That fact is that the US is more obsessed with money and material goods, and the apparent standing they think they give people, than Australia. Or, for that matter, the UK. And the subject of the thread is that obsession, and Toyota's pandering to it. And the contrast in the ads illustrates this nicely.

[seabeyond]

69. the subject is pitting divorced mother against divorced father. and though incorrect

op ran away

[scheming daemons]

56. I own a Yaris

[meow mix]

13. if you dont have the latest (insert product type) your worthless and unattractive

yeah abd i hate these commercials urging us to abandon last months phone (into the landfill) for the latest cooler phone.

throwaway society.

[progressoid]

17. Not to sound too old, but when I was young...

driving something like that would have been an embarrassment. Too ostentatious.

Apparently we've moved the opposite direction.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. I loathe that commercial far more than I can say...

everything about it. The copy, the photography, that hideous child, the vehicle itself, but more than anything, the people who conceived and produced this vile and twisted pitch.
It is a disgusting commercial, even by the standards of disgusting commercials.

[rocktivity]

19. I caught a glimspe of station wagon circa 1960 while channel surfing yesterday

I'd think the commercial was distasteful enough if it involved only one parent in an old "uncool" car, and the boy feared being humiliated in front of his classmate.

It tops the commercial I saw in which a father gets his son to say "hemi," which saves him from certain gayness.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[DuaneBidoux]

26. And to dig down one level beyond the obvious (anthropologists were involved I guarantee)

It is playing on the deepest fears a divorced father has that he cannot stay relevant in his child's life.

Every parent will fight with every tool they can imagine to keep their influence (as a divorced father who doesn't have custody I can tell you that this becomes almost an obsession, that is, how to stay relevant in your childs life).

To me this was the most insidious part--using the divorced status and this tremendous fear of fathers (and it was directed at fathers) to not be relevant in their child's life--and how to stay relevant.

I think this is the most subtle and, as I said, insidious parts of this commercial, and one that even most on this thread have seemed to miss.

[seabeyond]

44. two seperate families. nothing about a divorced family. nt

[LisaL]

46. It has nothing to do with a divorce at all.

It's one of the series with the same blond kid whose his parents that have a cool car, so he is not embarrassed to be seen with his parents, and other less fortunate kids whose parents drive lame cars.

[CanSocDem]

71. There seem to be variations of this ad'...

Advertisers do this because they know somethings play better in one area over another. I have seen one of these bits and see nothing of the marital drama that is obvious to you. But it sounds like a 'good button to press' from an advertisers point of view.

A few years ago, I saw an equally disturbing technique selling McD's 'burgers. I ranted and raved for a while but when I looked around, I realized that it was everywhere. So I learned to shut them all out.

Americans are helpless under the barrage of advertising. It's killing you....

.

[8 track mind]

36. What's ironic is that I know a lot of kids that would go to great legnths to

Get their hands on an old school station wagon. I have a buddy who has a 1964 Pontiac Catalina station wagon with a 421 under the hood. That car will flat out fly!

[cherokeeprogressive]

24. I have to cheer for this commercial because I think it's perfect for our times.

NOT.

[JanMichael]

25. Thank you for posting that piece of shit commercial! I hate that kid...

...and his snot-wad fucking attitude (of course I KNOW he's an "actor").

What a perfect example of idiotic self centered egotistical me me me horseshit. The kind of elitist horseshit that leads to violent revolution IMHO.

[DuaneBidoux]

29. The kid is the victim, pure and simple. Kids are easily manipulated.

And if the parents stand no chance from the attacks of the Mad Men I guarantee that the kid doesn't either.

[LisaL]

47. The kid is not the victim, I am sure he is supposed to represent

a spoiled brat.

[petronius]

54. I've wondered about that a bit - the 'cool kid' at the center of the commercials

is repulsive, but he's also apparently the character the target audience is supposed to identify with. Makes me wonder who that target audience is, and what data the market researchers were looking at...

[LisaL]

75. Since kids, no matter how obnoxious, usually don't go around

buying cars, the commercial is clearly directed at the parents. I presume the logic goes something like this "buy the cool car or your precious obnoxious little darlings will be soooo embarrassed to be seen with you."

[petronius]

83. Right, but it seems like for that to work the buyers must either identify

with the truly odious child in the commercial to the extent of thinking he has a point, or identify their own children with him. To me, the only reasonable reaction to the commercial is a heartfelt "thank god that kid isn't mine!", so I'm wondering who these people are who respond differently...

[gristy]

27. Very similar to a Hummer commercial that I've seen several times.

I hate that one too.

[DainBramaged]

57. Hummer hasn't advertised in about two years

got links for the offending commercial? Or is Hummer just another way of shifting the discussion away from iota?


All you have to do is type "Hummer commercials" in YouTube to find your gem.

:eyes:

[gristy]

78. Huh?

What an odd reply.

[gristy]

79. here's a description of the ad

http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000671728

:eyes::eyes:

[DainBramaged]

81. 2004 was SIX years ago.......

When all else fails, shift the blame from yota

[gristy]

85. what is the matter with you?

[Chulanowa]

30. Haven't seen it, but neverthless have an urge to vomit n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. Ah consumerism at its best

the add is not directed at mom and dad either.

It is directed at the little super consumer in the house.

No, I am not kidding. They have moved from whiny kids begging for toys to whiny kids begging for much larger and expensive goods.

This is just an evolution on this, and has little to do with values, but all to do with consumerism.

[LisaL]

43. I am sure it's directed at parents.

They have to drive a "cool" car otherwise their snot nosed children will be really embarrassed. I am pretty sure that's the memo.

[nadinbrzezinski]

48. Been readying on this

for the labor history book... and over the last five years they literally have figured out that kids are pretty good at getting parents to surrender.

Why they are called superconsumers.
'
The first to describe this was Klein in No Logo... and thee is a little backlash now since it is direct and far ore expensive than mickey D meals, where these techniques developed.

[MrMickeysMom]

32. This is where I lean back and think of Bill Hicks on Marketing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo

[Kat45]

34. I've seen that commercial and I don't think that's what's going on.

I don't think it's his father, I think it's another kid's father picking up his son. The ad shows another kid hiding behind something, and I think that's the kid being picked up. His father is shouting to him to come to the car and the kid's hiding because he's embarrassed.

So yes, it is setting up a scenario of kids being proud of one vehicle and embarrassed by another, but there is no plot of divorced parents competing for their kid.

[seabeyond]

37. re read op. obviously not it. tried googlin commercial. couldnt find. nt

[newportdadde]

38. Maybe that lame car will be the reason he can afford to go to college someday.

[Taitertots]

39. How dare they force you to watch such terrible things

Turn off your TV.

[LisaL]

40. It has nothing to do with a divorced couple.

[seabeyond]

42. you interpreted it wrong. here is a link to see again.

http://homadge.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-toyota-highlander-commercial-boy.html

it is like the 6th commercial down. one kids embarrassed to go into dads car. the other kids mom "gets it" with a highlander. two seperate families.

personally, i dont like any commercials with a snot nosed kid

[Mojorabbit]

49. I saw it too the other night and

was absolutely appalled. I told my husband that I was amazed that anyone would sink so low as to make a commercial like this.

[dereklink]

50. Stop Toyota Commercials

Please sign the petition established at http://toyotaislame.com. It is an effort to join forces with everyone who is disgusted with these commercials to force Toyota to take them off the air.

I'm so pleased to see other people feeling the way I do about these terrible commercials.

[TexasObserver]

52. It reflects the scumbags who run Toyota.

They think appealing to a person's sense of being better than others is a good way to go.

TOYOTA - if you like liars, you'll love Toyota!


I've seen this commercial and agree with you. It says "get a new Toyota, and stop embarrassing your kids with lame cars."

[Toucano]

53. If these are the values the right wants I simply want out.

Well said.

[orleans]

55. here's the cheap shot sexist piece of shit commercial that i hate

the allstate commercial with the guy saying he's a teenage girl who is emotionally compromised because her "bff" kissed some guy and now "she's" like "omg"

well, "FU!"

"imo" it's a royal piece of shit sexist commercial and it certainly isn't inspiring me to get their fucking insurance. assholes.

i looked it up on youtube and apparently there are a number of the "mayhem" commercials but this is the one that they prefer to air--this and the guy who is supposed to be a female jogger with a pink headband--i've seen the headband one a couple times and the teenage girl one about 20!

[CoffeeCat]

58. Here is video of the commercial...

Is there another commercial for the Highlander with kids coming out of the school depicting a divorce scenario?

Because this commercial does not do that.

In this commercial, a boy runs out of school--and sees his classmate (another boy) hiding behind a planter. The boy
is hiding from his father, who is out in the pick-up lane with a "lame car." The father with the lame car is portrayed
as a doofus with a station-wagon type car with wood paneling.

The other boy runs to his mother in a Toyota Highlander and then proceeds to talk about how cool his parent's car is with
the final line, "Just because you're a parent, doesn't mean you have to be lame."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJLO5fi2-50&feature=player_embedded

[Blue_Tires]

67. I think the ad firm responsible for this will not have their contract renewed...

[sendero]

60. The only thing sadder than these sorts of commercials...

.. is the losers that are swayed by them.

[HopeHoops]

62. Frankly, I wouldn't be seen in a fucking Toyota!

:puke:

[seabeyond]

63. duane, your OP is wrong. when told it is wrong you go away. people have not seen the commercial

and you totally misrepresent the commercial in a really bad way. when this is brought to your attention, there is no acknowledgment or desire to correct this mistake.

i dont understand why?

[Generic Brad]

70. Brilliant marketing, Toyota

Making fun of the people who actually have the money to buy your vehicles. If you are targeting obnoxious ten year olds - great job. But last time I checked that demographic can't afford your cars.

:sarcasm:

[Odin2005]

72. That commercial is HORRIFIC.

:puke:

[seabeyond]

74. still waiting for acknowledgment how you represented this commercial is wrong. wondering

why, as soon as this was pointed out to you, you ran away.

i am really bothered by purposely misrepresenting something so atrociously to posters on du and getting no acknowledgment or recognition that you have done this.

[fishwax]

76. i hate those ads. The kid makes me nauseous.

:puke:

[Warren DeMontague]

77. Disclaimer: I like Toyotas, I think they're good, quality cars, and I was fully prepared to roll my

eyes at the hand-wringing over these commercials, which I had never seen, since I don't watch much tv, I fast forward through commercials, and the shows I do watch (mostly science shows) seem to get ads for metamucil and sleep number beds, mostly.

That said, upon checking out the commercials- I have to agree with the premise of the OP. Ick. How fucking obnoxious, not to mention tone-deaf. I don't know who could possibly think that this would make someone want to buy the car. It strikes me as perversely designed to make them NOT want to buy it.

[CrispyQ]

80. The car commercial that gets me - I think it's for a Chrylser SUV.

A little boy gets out of school & is chased by three other boys. He manages to get home, where his mom is in the SUV & pushes a button to open the back door & he hops in, escaping his pursuers. His mom drives by the other boys & the boy thumbs his nose at them.

I couldn't believe that bullying has become so mainstream that a car company would use it as a means to sell a car. :grr: I also have an issue that the mom has no idea the little guy is being chased???

on edit: Sorry this is totally off topic, but that commercial disturbs me on a few levels.

[petronius]

82. Isn't that the one where the kid being chased starts the commercial

by saying something like "Race you home!" and then wins with the help of the car? I never noticed a bullying angle (but I haven't paid that much attention, so I could be totally wrong)...

[CrispyQ]

87. Maybe I'm totally wrong.

???

I turn the volumn down on most commercials. I'll turn it up next time.

:hi:

[TK421]

84. I just watched it and yeah, it's pretty damn shallow

but there are plenty of little minds out there who live shallow lives and have little to no ideals so obviously there is a huge market for this vehicle out there.

Which makes me wonder how many of these things have been sold since this commercial came out?

probably lots of them

[aikoaiko]

86. Swagger Wagon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUG3Z8Hxa5I

[DainBramaged]

88. This AD did more to piss off DU about the fabled Yota than any post about defects

by them any post I ever made about their covering up of defects and disrespecting the families of the dead from the accidents caused by same.


Thanks Toyota, the roosters have come home to roost.

[Orsino]

89. Do not question the Cult of the Automobile...

...or enraged cultists will be knocking on your door all night.