There’s no bigger a fan of the Volt than me, and I’m happy Chevy is advertising a car that doesn’t exist yet, but couldn’t GM spend their money better than on this commercial?
There certainly have been better ones before (see post).
[UPDATE - GM sources have confirmed that this is indeed an official Chevy Volt commercial. The above picture is a still from the video. If you do not see the YouTube video below, go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBXK4EE7Lg8]
[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBXK4EE7Lg8]
This entry was posted on Friday, February 8th, 2008 at 9:18 pm and is filed under Advertising, Video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Feb 8th, 2008 (9:58 pm)Not real.
Feb 8th, 2008 (10:06 pm)Well…..
To put a good spin on it it is the Overture to the new Chevy Volt we will see after the design freeze.
Time to get your ice creams and wait.
Ive had doubts for a while that they should be showing last years model when we know they have had to change the aesthetics.
I could imagine the curtain will rise soon on the new volt.
inmho
Feb 8th, 2008 (11:22 pm)Autobloggreen says it’s been airing since November…but I’m inclined to agree with Ohm at 1, this is that bad…
GM, say it ain’t so.
Feb 8th, 2008 (11:30 pm)Maybe Lyle should ask GM what the hell they were thinking when they made this…
Feb 8th, 2008 (11:46 pm)Um…the dog licking a foot while “Whenever I’m alone” plays in the background is not the Volt commericial — although I agree it truly would make the worse Volt commericial imaginable.
Feb 8th, 2008 (11:50 pm)Why is this dog licking feet image and video on this page. This entire link is misleading. First the footage of the foot is not the target in question of worst video. Second, the line stating “There certainly have been better ones before…” gives the impression that its link points to “the better one” video, yet just the opposite it points to the actual video to be considered the worst. Third, the link to this questionable worst video has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the video but about taking risk in promoting a product that has yet to be in production.
A total, complete, absolute asinine post this is. To whom ever mods, please remove this entire thread and my response to it.
Feb 8th, 2008 (11:58 pm)I don’t get it. What’s it got to do with the Volt?
Feb 9th, 2008 (12:12 am)Lyle, you need to back WAY off on your TGIF drinking ….or at least put a breath-o-lizer interlock on your computer’s power cord!!!!!!!
Feb 9th, 2008 (12:35 am)Lyle, after a little digging, I learned that the ACTUAL ad had the following superimposed text scrolling over it while it ran….
“If you care about the environment, you could save water and let your dog give you a bath. Chevy cares about the environment. That’s why we’re working on an extended range electric car expected to go up to 40 miles without a drop of gas. The Chevy Volt concept.”
[Since it seems NONE of those commenting here so far, myself included, could see the superimposed text, I'm assuming you're using a browser that CAN see it. I'd suggest you check future posts using IE6/7, still the most widely used browsers].
….And keep up the great work!
PS: You’re right ….even with the superimposed text, it’s a tasteless, humorless ad, and worse, it slams environmentalists!
Feb 9th, 2008 (1:15 am)Here’s the ad with superimposed text:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBXK4EE7Lg8
I agree – it sucks (or licks?) … but I expect that it will cause people to remember the Volt. From an advertising perspective – that is all that GM wants to achieve at this point – people remember the “Chevy Volt” name. Three years from now, most people won’t remember this silly ad.
Feb 9th, 2008 (2:32 am)Not to be off topic.
But this new website design is terrible what happen to the old GMvolt.com site.
I much prefer the old design. It was green in color and just looked like a really friendly place to read articles and I liked navigating.
This site I fell like leaving right away because its hard to read or hard on my eyes. Plus looks like a big Advert or a cheap site.
Why not take the old design schem and use it with this new engine?
G
Feb 9th, 2008 (4:38 am)I think this ad needs to be put in to the context of when and where it was shown. According to what I’ve read, it was aired during Adult Swim, which is a block of adult animation shows on a cartoon cable channel that have a certain type of ironic (some would say moronic) sense to them. In that context, the ad sort of works.
Why GM is spending cash targeting the Robot Chicken audience is something I’ll leave for someone else to explain because I’m sure I have no clue.
Feb 9th, 2008 (6:40 am)If you buy a volt, are you not supposed to bathe?
Feb 9th, 2008 (7:32 am)Anyone know how to put in a rating of 0 stars?
Feb 9th, 2008 (8:21 am)Someone needs to be fired.
Feb 9th, 2008 (8:24 am)Nasaman, David L.
Thanks for the text. I was totally clueless about what this ad was for.
Not to mention watching a dog like the toes of some dude is quite gross IMO. But the text at least helps explain what the ad is for.
Also, I use firefox. The missing text has nothing to do with browser.
I think Lyle linked to the wrong version of the video.
Feb 9th, 2008 (9:42 am)Hopefully, everyone noticed that the AER has been restated as “up to” 40 miles. I drive a 2004 Avalon that gets “up to” 40 MPG. Now its highway mileage averages 27 MPG. But one hot day while coasting down a very long downgrade, my dash mileage meter crept up to 40. Just that once, and I have never seen it above 33 since. However, I could advertise it as having a mileage of up to 40. People who use terms like “up to” are engaging in word games, lying by implication, but allowing the listener to come to the wrong conclusion by making a faulty inference. Character only a foot lickin dog would love.
Feb 9th, 2008 (9:51 am)Don’t be too hard on Lyle, he has to keep interest up foe the next three years, until there is a real Volt to discuss……
But I did see a new Volt commercial yesterday morning on Fox News. I found a link to it:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/09/13/video-three-years-before-job-1-and-gm-is-already-advertising-th/
It is a bit better than dogs licking feet…………
Feb 9th, 2008 (9:53 am)Then I found this site that made the ad seem perverted…..
http://jalopnik.com/cars/ad-watch/chevy-gives-kids-a-hummer-with-the-volt-electric-car-304593.php
Feb 9th, 2008 (10:40 am)Jim,
I gotta tell you. I’m an attorney. I spent part of this week going through a kiddy-porn case. Really nasty stuff, not high school girls gone wild. My mind NEVER went in that direction with that Chevy Volt commercial. If someone took that commercial in that direction, they need to check themselves, not slam the commercial. The fact that they did it in a published article tells me that the editor was on vacation.
Feb 9th, 2008 (11:09 am)An off-topic news item, but pertinent to the Volt’s potential market demand….
“US sales of hybrids in January 2008 climbed 27.3% to 22,392 units, according to monthly sales reports from automakers. That number does not yet include hybrid sales figures from GM, who does not report them separately.”
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/02/reported-us-sal.html
Feb 9th, 2008 (11:42 am)Wow… guys… back off a bit here. It’s a freakin’ commercial. And it’s not aimed at people who check out this site. It’s focus is for those people who haven’t heard of the Volt yet. And whoever looks at that commercial and translates it to anything perverted needs to spend some time on a therapy couch. Figure out what it is your parents did to you and get through it, but don’t take me with you.
I just want to buy the Volt, support good technology, help the American economy, and cut our ties to the Middle East. However they want to advertise it doesn’t matter to me in the least.
Feb 9th, 2008 (12:33 pm)nasaman, #9:
I dunno, I keep telling my wife that we could save a lot of water by letting the dog lick the plates before we put them in the dishwasher instead of rinsing them under the faucet. I told her it’s a win-win deal. The dog would be happy and the SoCal water shortage would be alleviated. I told her that the dishwasher would get rid of the dog spit. She won’t do it. Mabe this commercial will help her to see the light.
BTW, I consider myself to be an environmentalist, and I’ve been slammed plenty for it. I agree with your conclusion, but no big thing. As Horace Rumpole said so often, you develop the hide of a Rhinocerous after awhile, or you have to get out of the game.
Nasaman, #21:
Which brilliant GM executive said that the American people would never buy hybrids? As the late, great, Jim Healy might have said, “My lips are sealed, but weren’t his initials B.L.?”
Feb 9th, 2008 (1:27 pm)BTW, is it just me, or is this thing running a lot faster than usual this morning?
The various posts and comments seem to come up almost instantly. Lule, if you changed anything, it sure works. Thanks.
Feb 9th, 2008 (2:14 pm)@Mark in Wisc #20
“The fact that they did it in a published article tells me that the editor was on vacation.”
It was posted by their editor-in-chief.
Feb 9th, 2008 (4:24 pm)That cannot be a real commercial.
Feb 9th, 2008 (4:35 pm)That commercial is horrible. But, as they say, no publicity is bad publicity – the name is still getting out there.
)
Anywho, the ‘up to’ is the oldest trick in the book..
I have a sunfire that’s ‘up to’ 35 mpg?
The most I’ve seen is 32.5 on an all-highway trip for 500k total.
The everyday average is about 25 in winter-27 in summer.
I think they should be forced to say “average of 40 miles” or “Minimum 40 miles in standard conditions”.
Its the same as high speed internet.. “Up to 5 meg.. Up to 10meg”
Too bad you never see that except during the 5 mins of the day when no one is downloading. (or you have a good ISP like our current one
Feb 9th, 2008 (9:03 pm)Why stop at 40? Why not say “up to 400″?
Feb 10th, 2008 (12:46 am)#25 My bad. Cripes. Fire him.
Feb 10th, 2008 (12:52 am)GM purposely put out a repulsive and stupid ad with the intention of reducing demand so they won’t have to build a vehicle that will end up competing with their primary product, the internal combustion engine.
Lifted is the veil of the dark side.
Feb 10th, 2008 (9:29 am)“That’s an American Revolution”= being licked by the family pet??
WTF??
Maybe the dog could bring the owner his revolver and the guy shoots himself in the foot?
Exact same message.
Feb 10th, 2008 (10:42 am)They could be competing with Honda for some bad commercial award.
Feb 10th, 2008 (10:44 am)link for post above
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gnmDHPUBNI
Feb 10th, 2008 (1:05 pm)Yeah, but at least with the Honda ad we get to see the car…
New car ads always feature a handsome man or beautiful woman behind the wheel, driving in an ideal urban setting; thats how they sell cars.
Feb 10th, 2008 (8:37 pm)Skip all the fluff and get the car manufactured. It’s sickening how many concept cars never get produced because the automakers have no courage or innovation. I’ve replace a few choice words here that would probably have prohibited this from the blog.
Feb 11th, 2008 (9:01 am)I think they should fire the person who is responsible for allowing this ad on national TV. GM still have idiots working for them.
Feb 11th, 2008 (9:35 am)Not the first commercial i’ve seen that is totally ridiculos as to grab your attention while your wondering “what the f*ck”. Got to be honest i’m not sure what’s funnier the how stupid the commercial is or some of your way over reactions.
GM is spending advertising dollars on a car they haven’t commited to building, that sounds promising to me.
This one is alot better, not only the volt but some great looks at it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw2Te-UEX44
Feb 11th, 2008 (9:36 am)This one is the best.
Inspiring to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_J2Jx51XZs
Feb 11th, 2008 (2:01 pm)Although the ad is stupid, GM is really commited in producing the Volt. They are dumb at times, but they are sincere in building the Volt. If not, it would be the end for them and from what I see, they are really back on the road to their glory days.
Feb 12th, 2008 (1:54 pm)They put on useless ineffective commercials back in the 90′s for their electric cars because they weren’t really interested in selling them. It’s deja vu all over again.
Feb 12th, 2008 (2:45 pm)#40
Yes, GM was not interested in selling the EV1 and they made no secrets about it. The Volt is different. If you think GM is not commited in building the Volt, think twice. It would be suicide if GM were not to build this car. If you believe is not serious, you are really naive.
Feb 14th, 2008 (10:51 am)What GM means with the whole 40 miles all electric is simple.. Find a 6% down-hill grade, 40 miles long. Get the car rolling, and let it cruise down the hill… Or on level ground, get a 50MPH+ tail wind, that’ll do it.
Seriously though, the speed limit on interstate (I-80, I-90, and I-25) here are 75MPH. If it can’t do 40 miles@65MPH, what good is it? I have my doubts, but maybe it will do what I expect.
I love the remark that #8 left..
Feb 14th, 2008 (5:36 pm)42-Adam
Haven’t you heard? The Volt will be able to do a little over a 100 mile per hour.
Feb 15th, 2008 (12:59 am)A dog like that could save a guy alot on toilet paper!
Feb 16th, 2008 (8:30 am)I like the ad, it’s kinda funny.