Insane Car Commercials and Advertising You Have To See To Believe

The auto industry makes up one of the largest advertising sectors, so it is no surprise that some of the most inventive, funny, touching and downright absurd marketing schemes were carried out by car manufacturers. In the pages ahead we’ll explore some of the more curious, influential and ingenious advertising campaigns put out by automakers. Some are funny, while others will leave you wanting more. They say to start with a joke, so our first is a bit of comedy from over several seas.

Toyota Hilux - “Bugger”

We’ll get this one off the list quickly here. Apparently, in places outside North America, “bugger” is a four-letter word. On this side of the pond, however, it’s little more than a witty Britishism. This commercial out of New Zealand was also aired in Australia. It garnered more than a hundred complaints and, judging by the comment section on youtube, started more than a few flame wars between Kiwis and Aussies, both claiming the commercial as their own. Officially, the advert was produced for Toyota New Zealand, filmed in New Zealand and had a Kiwi director. However, Australians are quick to point out that the lead actor is from Aus. This ad is only the first we’ll see from either of these countries and Toyota.

Ford - Ralph and Les The Cane Toads

Ford released this ad on Australian television back in 2012 for the Falcon. The spot features two cane toads having a humorous discussion on a roadway about the poor performance of four-cylinder engines before one of the toads - I won’t spoil which one - is mushed by the oncoming car. The ad ends with the tagline “Six-cylinder performance from a four-cylinder engine.” The shocking and gruesome ad raked in seventy-five thousand views in its first week alone and incited a knock-off from GM’s European brand, Opel, which we’ll take a look at in the next slide.

Opel - This Range Will Floor You

Opel, formerly known as General Motors’ European brand, was excited to show off the best in class range of their newest electric, the Ampera-e. Opel took a page out of Ford Australia’s advertising handbook and essentially recreated the Ralph and Les story, but with cockchafers, better known as May-bugs. In the advert, we see the two bugs having a humorous discussion about the reduced range of electric vehicles before one of the pair is smeared across the pavement - sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Opel had the decency to continue the story, following the bug to heaven, where God himself admits he didn’t know EVs could have such a range. While the car may be innovative, this commercial indeed was not. Stay tuned for our next advertiser, who has a fresh take on an old game.

Vauxhall Corsa - Hide and Seek

This commercial from one of the oldest manufacturers in Britain is fun, inspiring, and makes us want to go out and play. Vauxhall uses one of the most recognizable childhood games and expands it into a vehicular competition on the streets of London. The commercial sees Corsa owners utilizing the car’s small stature to their advantage in a game of city-wide hide and seek. This ad speaks to the kid in all of us and truly embodies the spirit of Vauxhall’s tagline - “Put the fun back in driving.” Where Vauxhall tastefully used games to inspire a sense of nostalgia, our next manufacturer infiltrated a kids’ game in a slightly uncomfortable fashion.

Mercedes Benz - Mario Kart 8

The world-famous plumber in red has finally chosen a ride fit for his Princess Peach. In 2014, Mercedes paired with Nintendo to release a DLC pack to promote their GLA series. The optional download features three Mercedes-Benz karts and a set of tires. Racers can now drop banana peels from the back of a brand new GLA, a 1957 300 SL Roadster, or a 1934 W25 Silver Arrow. While this indeed isn’t the first time real cars have made it into a video game, it is more than a little uncanny to see Merc in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Dodge Challenger - Cop Chase

This advertisement from Dodge was meant to show the rebel spirit of the reintroduced Challenger, but without actually being a rebel. Composed of two cube vans with photos of a police car and a Challenger that chased each other around town. Dodge both saved money and reached a broader audience with this campaign than by using billboards alone, and provided a far more tactile experience for onlookers. Dodge isn’t the only one to build on the old billboard platform, as we’ll see in the next slide.

Can’t See the Ford For The Trees

While most companies might be disappointed to find their billboard space is slowing being grown over by trees, Ford made a move of solidarity with Mother Nature. The formerly French advertisement takes aim at tree-huggers everywhere, declaring “the trees blocking this billboard are a problem we don’t want to solve.” Kudos to Ford for not wanting to destroy the environment. Then again, as our next advertiser points out, where would we drive if we ruined the world?

Jeep - Earth Day

Jeep has always branded itself as the vehicle for outdoor enthusiasts, so it should come as no surprise that they would attach themselves to Earth Day for advertising. This minimalist advert raises eco-awareness and states the obvious: “if there is no planet, where will you drive?” Just don’t look too deep into Jeep’s green marketing, the new Wrangler only gets 23 miles to the gallon.

Daihatsu - More Women

This cheeky advert comes to us from a Japanese manufacturer, Daihatsu. Its tongue in cheek shot at its Italian - err, competitors - is both smart and efficient. Reminiscent of VW’s early ads that showcased the Beetle’s small stature as a positive in the market of large American cars, this ad highlights the roominess of the Daihatsu, as well as the tiny price tag. Though, I think it’s safe to assume that anyone in the market for one of these vehicles probably isn’t in the market for the other.

Land Rover - Goggles

Land Rover’s print ad for the Discovery 4 is genuinely inspired by the vehicle itself. It shouts of capability and refinement. The matching wiper marks on the goggles and the windshield tell you this car is prepared to go wherever you go. At first look, the ad seems simple, but as you look through the haze more comes into focus - a barren arctic waste leading to mountains in the background, the headlamps of an almost camouflaged Land Rover, then the matching goggles. It all works to create a sense of go anywhere, do anything. While this ad is good, our next is nearly perfect.

Porsche - Nobody’s Perfect

The folks running the marketing division for Porsche must have drafted this ad with a well deserved sly smile on their faces. This humble-brag of an advertisement was drafted after Porsche managed to claim nine of the top ten positions in the 1983 Le Mans 24 hour. It makes clear whose car you want to drive if you're going to go fast. Porsche would slip the next year, however, and only take eight of the top ten in 1984. Our last entrant is another self-reflective advert with a touch of cheek.

VW Beetle - They Said It Couldn’t Be Done

During the late 1950s and through the 60s, the people in Volkswagen’s marketing department were putting out advertising gold. The Beetle was changing the vehicular landscape of America, and their Think Small campaign was a wild success that would go on to influence legendary campaigns like Apples Think Different. This advertisement is another out of that golden era of VW cleverness and honesty. The campaign successfully turned perceived negatives into positives with an honest but jovial jab at critics. “The Beetle may look small,” it says, “but it’s big enough.”