America’s Most Toxic Car Ads – Hummer EV vs Dodge Demon I Streetsblog USA
Kea Wilson – Oct 8, 2021
We’re launching the semifinals with two ads that are so toxic, they bend the definition of the word “commercial” itself — and stretch way past the time limit of the typical 30-second TV spot
But to understand why, exactly, this round’s contenders are so corrosive to our transportation culture, we’re bringing in an expert: Tom Flood, advertising and marketing pro, sustainable transportation advocate extraordinaire, and one of our very favorite Twitter follows. In fact, he’ll be providing commentary on all four semifinal bouts.
“This is a true clash of the titans,” Flood said when we showed him the first two contenders. “Honestly, it’s hard to even call these ‘ads,’ because they’re more like cinematic tributes to road violence. They’re essentially two-minute propaganda reels about how the vehicle will save us all and fulfill our most predatory speed fantasies, which, of course, is a total contradiction. But welcome to the world of auto marketing!”
Voters, start your engines. Let’s take a look at the first match-up.
The Hummer EV
