Showing posts with label Parker and Chrysler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parker and Chrysler. Show all posts

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Does the Chrysler Corporation think I'm stupid?

Some things just bother me. Flips Flops in December, for one thing. Stores that carry Dr Skipper, but not Dr Pepper, for another. But here is one that REALLY gets to me. Nightly. Every time this dang Chrysler minivan commercial comes on , I want to do harm to the TV set.

Here's the deal: Chrysler is trying to lead us to think this commercial is about a young boy racing his friends home from school and using his mom's car at the end to win.

Here's the reality: This commercial was obviously filmed as a story about a boy trying to outrun the school bullies. He is rescued at the end by jumping into the rear door of the minivan.

Here's what pisses me off: The commercial was not changed VISUALLY, but one or two voice overs were added to change the "intent" of the story. Why? Did some wussy parents complain to Chrysler that showing bullies in all their shocking reality was inappropriate??

My obsession with this poorly presented commercial (that has been shown continually for months now) forced me to photograph key elements and present them here, so each time YOU see the commercial now, you can suffer as I do:

Here is our hero, Parker, a skinny little kid with big ears:
Commercial Intent: There is a cheesy voice over in this next scene of the friends (AKA - BULLIES) innocently asking Parker if he would like to race home today.

Commercial Reality: The bullies are telling Parker they are about to kick his ass if he doesn't get over there and give them his lunch money.

Parker has obviously been beat up before (look at the animal fear in those eyes!), and takes off in a split second:
The "friendly race" is on, with the bullies catching up to Parker as he races, weighed down by his backpack and memories, no doubt, of his last beat down:
Now, for some reason, Mom's Chrysler minivan rear door is up and ready for Parker. This tells me mom is already aware of the daily beatings her son endures and is prepared to receive him like this every day:
Now, I ask you, if "friends" are "racing each other home", what part does hiding in the back of a minivan play?
Commercial Intent: another cheesy voice over shows Parker's mother calling out a cheery "there you are!", as if her son casually jumps in the back of the minivan every day, as a matter of course.

Commercial Reality: Mom has no idea how the hell Parker managed to get in the car so fast. And why is he sweating profusely? And what are those kids behind the car doing?
The "friends" realize Parker has escaped their daily shakedown somehow:
Commercial Intent: Parker has "won the race" by hiding in the Chrysler instead of actually "racing home".
Commercial Reality: THERE WAS NEVER A RACE HOME IN THE FIRST PLACE.
These alleged "friends" never talk to Parker once they see he's in the car. Parker's mother does not ask these hoodlums over for cookies and milk. They simply stalk around the Chrysler minivan while Parker hides inside like a little kitten:
Commercial Intent: Parker rolls down the window to show his "friends" he is in the car and on the way home.
Commercial Reality: Parker rolls down the window to gloat that he managed to escape the bully beat down.
The last image of the commercial is of the sullen bullies sitting on the schoolyard grass, flipping Parker off as he passes in his super duper bully proof Chrysler minivan:

Now, I personally think Chrysler should get rid of the lame voice overs and get the commercial back to it's OBVIOUS original intent, then package this car as a bully proof vehicle. But that's just me. Right?