Car commercials typically fall into one of two categories: 1) the pleasant voice-over that describes the attributes of the car (think Don Draper doing Mercedes-Benz), or 2) the screaming-in-your-face ad that shouts APR figures and potential trade-in values — the latter usually doesn’t highlight anything about the actual car, just that the commuter appliance can be had on the cheap.
Most of the time, they’re forgettable, background noise to accompany you on your trip to the kitchen or the bathroom. But every so often there’s an ad that will grab your attention, even if it’s not necessarily good.
Chrysler Group last Saturday released a handful of ads for its face-lifted 2014 Dodge Durango starring Will Ferrell er … Ron Burgundy.
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Yep, the fictional mustached misogynist from the ’70s is now the pitchman for Dodge’s aggressive-looking SUV. It’s a partnership between Chrysler and Paramount Pictures, which is promoting its upcoming Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues movie.
"The Dodge brand's irreverent tone and attitude make Ron Burgundy the perfect pitchman for the new 2014 Dodge Durango," Olivier François, Chief Marketing Officer of Chrysler Group LLC, said in a press release. “By joining forces with Paramount Pictures … we’re able to show the new 2014 Dodge Durango and its cutting edge technology in a completely unexpected approach that is fresh, funny and culturally provocative to our audiences.”
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Burgundy is his usual self: dimwitted, short fused, and passionate. In the ads he harasses two dancers, ridicules an “underpowered” horse, and makes the claim that he’s the only one with the guts to talk about the Durango’s glove box.
On the Durango’s epic glove box:
“You know, a lot of people will tell you about the dodge Durango’s available Hemi V8 engine and 360 horsepower, but I’m the only one with the guts to tell you about this glove box! .01-square feet of storage, 12-volt light bulb … comfortably fits two turkey sandwiches, six ball pin hammers, 70 packs of gum, 20 rulers — this thing goes on for inches … oh yeah, and this glove box I’ve been talking about? It comes standard.”
See the video above.
Yeah. Kind of strange.
Having a smarmy character as the face of a product seems like it could be risky, but the ads reminded me Isuzu’s “Joe Isuzu” campaign of the late ‘80s in which Joe would, uh … lie about the virtues of the economy cars and trucks. They were funny in an I-can’t-believe-this-is-their-ad-guy kind of way.
From the archives:
“How fast is the Isuzu Impluse Turbo? How does 950 mph sound?”
and
“I just sold an Isuzu i-mark to the queen. It’s roomy enough for a king or a queen, if that’s all you got … and a stereo to drown out the peasants … I traded one to what’s-her-name for this hat.”
The ads were cheeky, and flat-out lies … and you almost waited for a new ad to be released — like the current Ron Burgundy campaign. They’re also similar in that Dodge has always played second fiddle, well third fiddle, to GM and Ford. I don’t see Chevy or Toyota pulling off such a strange this far from the Super Bowl.
When’s the last time you waited for the newest version of a commercial to be released? I guess Ron Burgandy’s the only one with the guts to make it happen.
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What do you think of the new absurd Ron Burgundy Durango ads?
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