<p>I had a pretty strong visceral reaction to the “Imported from Detroit” ad, and I’ve never lived there, but I do think it did more to sell the city and the people than it did to sell Chryslers. (I think that the mayor of Detroit should hug and kiss Chrysler’s new Italian owner and this ad agency – Detroit could not have asked for anything better.)</p>
<p>I’d guess that there are going to be a lot of t-shirts that say “This is the Motor City, and this is what we do,” or “Imported from Detroit.”</p>
<p>I seem to know a lot of people with Michigan connections, and this commercial seems to have resonated really, really deeply with them. Amazing how many soccer moms reference it on their Facebook pages. </p>
<p>Another Apple 1984 ad? I don’t know, but I think it could be. I do think that it might help US car sales, at least in terms of getting people in to look at the dealerships, and that alone is probably a win.</p>
<p>I’m willing to bet the majority of the people offended by the Tibet ad have spent none of their own money or time to improve the situation of the Tibetans. And the commercial made them realize it. And that made them uncomfortable. Therefore, offensive.</p>
<p>Groupon is matching donations to the three causes it spoofed during the Superbowl.</p>
<p>I live in a very liberal city with more Tibetan restaurants and a larger Tibetan population that almost anywhere else in the U.S. – fundraisers for Tibet and Nepal are not at all uncommon. The ad went over like a wet balloon. I’m not sure the rainforest one was any better. (And the ads were developed by a local ad agency, which made it worse.) </p>
<p>Groupon’s pretty popular around here, but that was not not a good set of ads for Groupon unless you follow the theory that “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.”</p>
<p>I plan to test drive a Chrysler 200 convertible later this year. I drove a Sebring convertible a few times and liked it. I figure my daughter will get take our now 3+ yr old Corolla to school in a year, so I need my mid-life crisis car.</p>
<p>What I’m saying is that people like to be offended. When people were slamming Christina Aguilera for improvising the lyrics to the National Anthem, the number 3 google search was “star spangled banner lyrics.” </p>
<p>Manufactured outrage all. And if people in your town actually is doing something about Tibet, then they have the right to be offended. The rest of America was stuffing its face and drinking crappy beer and might have felt a bit guilty about it.</p>
<p>But I don’t really get the objection to the “test baby” ad. It seems to me that those objecting to it weren’t really offended, but think that stupid people might be offended.</p>
<p>I’m sorry she flubbed the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner. But I’m even more sorry that the sports leagues keep getting major performers to sing the anthem who think that it is critical that they put their spin on the anthem. I’d much rather hear someone sing it straight up and on pitch than all the gussied up versions we’ve been presented over the years.</p>
<p>Too bad - the phrase might be already trademarked. Eons ago, I saw a bold guy in a fiery red Chrysler convertible with a license plate frame that had that phrase on it. :)</p>
<p>FYI, Mean Joe Green Coke commercial first aired in 1979. Someone posted it on youtube in response to the House commercial. Gee, that was the year H & I got married!</p>