Ford Ka and the pigeon


Ford's new spot features a pigeon flying towards a Ford Ka, being instantly hit and blown flatly to the floor by the vessels hood springing open. It's one of a series of new spots, using more brutal images to provoke oppositional reactions opinions in the viewer.
Shocking the audience has always been a good way to get diverted publicity. And it's well known that bad publicity is better than none. Just now I overhear that Barbie and Ken are officially getting seperated, they even held a press conference in the US.
Another commercial (donation call?) features beautiful nature pics, a colourful parrot fluttering up and smashing his head on the camera's glass, sagging down along it, smearing blood all over it on it's way down; this is followed by the slogan "It's getting narrow in the rainforest".
Last commercial is again a call for donations; a small girl stammering, er, I mean, reading a fairy tale to someone, then closing with the words "I wished we had been there, too. *long pause, room for pityful feelings* Good night *another accentuated pause* daddy!" Camera blends to show a man lying in bed, looking up after the girl leaving the room. You can only see the eyes and I suppose the viewer is expected to feel great sorrow. Last the slogan, something about donations for the stroke foundation. Blablabla. This last spot is the only one that annoys me. First, the stupid girl shouldn't make her dad feel bad for having had a stroke and being paralyzed. It wasn't his fault. Second, even if you give the foundation money, what should it be good for? Rersearch is more important in other areas, and stroke victims already can get good rehabilitation programs within the hospital stay, mostly before they're sent home. I seriously doubt that research can so much prevent strokes from happening. We already know a lot about the influence of sport and good diet.

Right now, on german TV (RTL), people from the pigeon breeder union are shown going to Ford sellers, trying to demonstrate against the commercial. Jeez, I just watched a 13 yo junior breeder who was "seriously affected" who was taken to their local Ford station by his mommy, carrying a cage with doves to appeal to the salesman's heart. And mommy said: "Take this dove into your hand, to feel the life, and tell me if it is responsible to make a spot like this" OMG! As if anyone cared. It wasn't the local salesman directing the spot anyway. It is not a real pigeon being killed! It's meant humorous! And most car owners hate these birds because they poo on their fresh washed cars! In town, pigeons are a plague and strongly disliked by the majority. Pigeon-people, get a grip :-/

Posted: Fr - Februar 13, 2004 at 07:41 Uhr      

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